^^  UC-NRLF 

^^s        111 

/-3 


FARM  CROPS  LABORATORY 
MANUAL AND  NOTE BOOK 

F.W.LATHROP 


FARM  CROPS  LABORATORY 
MANUAL  AND  NOTE  BOOK 

r.  W.  LATHROP,  A.B.,  M.S.A. 


LippiNCOTT's  Farm  Manuals 

Edited  by  K.  C.  DAVIS,  Ph.D..  Knapp  School  of  Country  Life.  Nashville,  Tenn. 

PRODUCTIVE  SWINE  HUSBANDRY     1915 

By  GEORGE  E.  DAY,  B.S.A. 

PRODUCTIVE  POULTRY  HUSBANDRY     1919 

By  harry  R.  LEWIS,  B.S. 

PRODUCTIVE  HORSE  HUSBANDRY     1920 

By  carl  W.  gay,  D.V.M.,  B.S.A. 

PRODUCTIVE  ORCHARDING     1917 

By  FRED  C.  SEARS,  M.S. 

PRODUCTIVE  VEGETABLE  GROWING     1918 

By  JOHN  W.  LLOYD,  M.S.A. 

PRODUCTIVE  FEEDING  of  FARM  ANIMALS     1916 

By  F.  W.  WOLL,  Ph.D. 

COMMON  DISEASES  OF  FARM  ANIMALS     1919 

By  R.  a.  CRAIG,  D.V.M. 

PRODUCTIVE  FARM  CROPS      1918 

By  E.  G.  MONTGOMERY,  M.A. 

PRODUCTIVE  BEE  KEEPING     1918 

By  FRANK  C.  PELLETT 

PRODUCTIVE  DAIRYING      1919 

By  R.  M.  WASHBURN,  M.S.A. 

INJURIOUS  INSECTS  AND  USEFUL  BIRDS     1918 
By  F.  L.  WASHBURN,  M.A. 
PRODUCTIVE  SHEEP  HUSBANDRY     1918 
By  WALTER  C.  COFFEY,  M.S. 

PRODUCTIVE  SMALL  FRUIT  CULTURE     1920 

By  FRED  C.  SEARS,  M.S. 

PRODUCTIVE  SOILS     1920 

By  WILBERT  W.  WEIR,  M.S. 

LIPPINCOTT'S  COLLEGE  TEXTS 

SOIL  PHYSICS  AND  MANAGEMENT     1919 
By  J.  G.  MOSIER,  B.S.,  A.  F.  GUSTAFSON,  M.S. 

FARM  LIFE  TEXT  SERIES 

APPLIED  ECONOMIC  BOTANY     1919 
By  MELVILLE  T.  COOK,  Ph.D. 
PRODUCTIVE  PLANT  HUSBANDRY     1918 
By  KARY  C.  DAVIS 
HORTICULTURE  FOR  HIGH  SCHOOLS     1919 
By  KARY  C.  DAVIS 
PRODUCTIVE  SOILS  Abridged  Edition     1920 
By  WILBERT  W.  WEIR,  M.S. 

LABORATORY  MANUALS  AND  NOTEBOOKS 

ON  THE   FOLLOWING  SUBJECTS 

SOILS,  By  J.  F.  EASTMAN  and  K.  C.  DAVIS  191S  POULTRY,  By  H.  R. 
LEWIS  1918  DAIRYING,  By  E.  L.  ANTHONY  1917  FEEDING,  By 
F.  W.  WOLL    1917    FARM  CROPS,  By  F.  W.  LATHROP     1920 


FARM  CROPS  LABORATORY 
MANUAL  AND  NOTE  BOOK 


F.  W.  LATHROP,  A.B.,  M.S. A. 

FORMERLY  INSTRUCTOR  IN  AGRONOMY  AND  FARM  MANAGEMENT, 
SCHOHARIE    STATE   SCHOOL    OF    AGRICULTURE,  COBLESKILL,  N.  Y. 


U  ILLV8TRATI0NS  IN  THE  TEXT 


PHILADELPHIA  AND  LONDON 
J.    B.    LIPPINCOTT    COMPANY 


L. 


4 


Copyright,  1920 
By  J.  B.  Ltppincott  Company 


^^rfl  LIBRARY-AGRlCULTimE'DEPT. 


Electrotyped  and  Printed  by  J.  B.  Lipjnneott  Company 
The  Washington  Square  Press,  Philadelphia,  U.  S.  A. 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

Introductory  Notes 7 

exercise 

1.  To  Make  a  Brief  Survey  of  the  Farm  Crops  in  the  Locality 12 

2.  To  Chart  the  Market  Price  op  Some  Crop  for  a  School  Year 13 

3.  To  Understand  the  Flower  and  Its  Parts 15 

4.  To  Understand  Seeds  and  Seedlings  and  Their  Parts 17 

5.  To  Understand  the  Types  of  Creeping  and  Underground  Parts  of  Plants  19 

6.  To  Learn  the  Characteristics  of  the  Grass  Family  . . 23 

7.  To  Show  the  Class  the  Best  Type  of  Corn  Plant  to  Breed  from  and  Give 

Each  Student  Practice  in  Field  Selection 27 

8.  To  Learn  to  Recognize  the  Important  Types  and  Varieties  oi'  Corn 28 

9.  To  Score  and  Judge  Corn 30 

10.  To  Determine  which  Ears  will  Germinate  Strongly 33 

11.  To  Learn  the  Most  Important  Types  of  Oats 38 

12.  To  Learn  to  Judge  Oats  on  the  Basis  of  Their  Value  for  Feed 40 

13.  To  LearN  to  Control  Oat  Smut 43 

14.  To  Learn  the  Most  Important  Types  of  Wheat 47 

15.  To  Learn  How  to  Judge  Wheat 50 

16.  To  Learn  the  Important  Types  of  Barley 53 

17.  To  Learn  to  Identify  Some  Common  Grass  Plants 55 

18.  To  Learn  to  Identify  Grass  Seeds 59 

19.  To  Learn  to  Identify  Ci^over  and  Alfalfa  Plants 62 

20.  To  Learn  to  Identify  Clover  and  Alfalfa  Seeds 63 

21.  To  Study  Alfalfa  in  the  Field 65 

22.  To  Analyze  Clover,  Alfalfa,  Millet  or  Timothy  Seed  for  Purity 69 

23.  To  Test  Small  Seeds  for  Germination 71 

24.  To  Learn  Common  Meadow  and  Pasture  Mixtures 72 

25.  To  Study  the  Morphology  and  Composition  of  the  Potato  Tuber 73 

26.  To  Harvest  Seed  Potatoes  by  the  Hill  Selection  Method 75 

27.  To  Become  Familiar  with  Varieties  and  Variety  Groups  op  Potatoes  ...  77 

28.  To  Learn  How  to  Judge  Potatoes 81 

29.  To  Learn  the  Important  Types  of  Tobacco 83 

30.  To  Study  Tobacco  Growing  by  the  Survey  Method 85 

6 


465339 


CONTENTS 

31.  To  Study  the  Structure  of  the  Cotton  Plant 88 

32.  To  Study  Varieties  Representing  Different  Types  of  Cotton 91 

33.  To  Study  the  Selection  of  Seed  Beans 93 

34.  To  Learn  the  Types  of  Field  Beans 94 

35.  To  Become  Familiar  with  the  Weeds  in  the  Vicinity  of  the  School  and 

Their  Control 95 

36.  To  Identify  Some  Important  Weed  Seeds 97 

37.  To  Learn  to  Identify  Seeds  of  Miscellaneous  Crops  and  to  Review  Seeds 

Studied  by  Means  of  an  Identification  Contest 101 

38.  To  Learn  the  Principles  Underlying  the  Rotation  of  Crops 103 

39.  To  Learn  How  to  Make  a  Bibliography  and  to  Become  Acquainted  with 

the  Literature  of  Farm  Crops 106 

Home  Projects  in  Farm  Crops 108 

Crop  Growing  Projects 1 10 

With  Corn,  1  to  4   110 

With  Potatoes,  5  to  9 Ill 

With  Oats,  10  to  13 112 

With  Alfalfa,  14  to  18 113 

With  Timothy  and  Clover,  19  to  23 114 

With  Cotton,  24  to  29 '. 115 

With  Tobacco,  30  to  36 117 

With  Peanuts,  37  to  40 118 


INTRODUCTORY  NOTES 

These  notes  are  written  to  suggest  some  of  the  methods  of  teaching 
farm  crops  and  also  to  suggest  to  the  instructor  how  he  may  use  the  exer- 
cises in  this  manual  most  effectively.  The  plan  is  to  discuss  some  of  the  more 
important  types  of  laboratory  exercises  used  in  teaching  farm  crops. 

1.  Identification  of  Plants  and  Seeds. — Several  methods  may  be  used  in 
order  to  fix  the  identity  of  plants  and  seeds  in  the  student's  mind. 

(a)  Drawing. — Drawing  seeds  and  plants  necessitates  the  observation  of 
certain  characters  which  might  otherwise  escape  attention.  In  the  case  of 
seeds  a  minimum  size  or  standard  should  be  set  because  the  natural  tendency 
of  the  student  is  to  make  the  drawings  too  small.    Correct  labeling  is  essential. 

(b)  The  Use  of  a  Key. — Keys  are  in  printed  form  for  the  identification  of 
such  crops  as  oats,  barley,  grasses  and  clovers.  Many  of  these  keys  should 
be  simplified  for  use  in  secondary  schools. 

(c)  Descriptive  Outlines. — Describing  specimens  according  to  a  set  outline 
is  a  useful  method  but  has  serious  limitations.  The  student  should  have  a 
set  of  definite  descriptive  terms  of  which  he  knows  the  meaning.  This  method 
should  always  be  supplemented  by  one  of  the  other  methods  in  order  to  bring 
out  the  differences  in  the  specimens  described.  When  hterature  on  variety 
or  type  description  is  available  it  may  be  used  to  supplement  the  study  of  the 
specimens  at  first  hand. 

(d)  The  Identification  of  Numbered  Specimens  Unlabeled. — This  method 
is  valuable  because  of  the  interest  it  arouses.  Its  purpose,  however,  is  not 
to  teach  but  to  test  and  drill.  The  student  should  know  what  mistakes  he 
has  made  and  should  correct  them. 

(e)  Class  Discussion. — Contrasts  between  specimens  may  be  brought  out 
by  class  discussion. 

2.  Judging. — The  most  common  error  in  judging  exercises  consists  of 
scoring  and  judging  by  the  student  before  he  has  a  real  acquaintance  with 
the  score  card.  To  avoid  this  error  and  for  the  sake  of  thoroughness  judging 
work  may  well  consist  of  three  steps. 

Step.  1. — Let  the  instructor  explain  the  score  card.  Then  have  the  stu- 
dent examine  specimens  which  illustrate  the  score  card  points  as  in  Exercise  9. 

Step  2. — In  the  case  of  potatoes,  for  example,  have  the  student  take 
several  samples  which  are  later  to  be  judged  and  place  them  in  the  order  of 

7 


merit  in  respect  to  each  point  on  the  score  card.    In  judging  corn  take  a  five- 
ear  sample  and  place  the  ears  in  the  order  of  merit  in  respect  to  each  point. 

Ste-p  3. — Score  and  judge  the  exhibits.  After  the  judging  is  completed 
discuss  the  placings  and  clear  up  anything  not  understood. 

It  is  well  to  have  one  or  two  exhibits  which  will  score  high.  The  other 
samples  should  show  clearly  most  of  the  strengths  and  weaknesses  indicated 
by  the  score  card.  The  instructor  needs  a  large  amount  of  material  to  select 
from.  In  judging  grains  it  is  well  to  have  at  least  one  quart  of  each  sample 
to  be  judged.  More  than  one  student  may  then  work  with  a  sample  and  the 
weight  per  bushel  may  be  figured  with  fair  accuracy. 

A  corn  or  potato  show  will  nicely  supplement  judging  work  in  these  crops. 
The  show  should  include  a  judging  demonstration  and  a  program  to  create 
interest  in  crop  improvement. 

3.  Field  Trips. — The  following  notes  are  taken  from  a  lecture  by  Professor 
W.  F.  Lusk  of  Cornell  University. 

(a)  Field  trips  should  be  considered  as  a  necessary  outgrowth  of  teach- 
ing and  should  not  be  organized  merely  for  the  sake  of  having  a  field  trip. 

(6)  A  field  trip  should  have  a  definite  aim. 

(c)  The  number  of  field  trips  should  depend  upon  the  need  and  what  the 
community  has  to  offer. 

{d)  The  teacher  should  have  in  mind  the  means  of  realizing  his  aim  and 
the  preparation  on  his  part  should  be  made  with  the  same  care  as  for  inside 
laboratory  work.  He  should  go  over  the  ground  first.  Failure  to  make  care- 
ful preparation  will  be  more  fatal  to  success  than  with  inside  laboratory  work. 

{e)  The  class  should  be  prepared  by  the  presentation  of  specific  informa- 
tion which  will  enable  the  students  to  appreciate  the  points  presented  on  the 
trip.    The  teacher  should  raise  questions  which  the  field  trip  will  answer. 

(/)  Do  not  attempt  to  do  a  job  lot  of  teaching  which  has  accumulated 
or  dissipate  the  energy  of  the  class  over  other  subjects  at  the  expense  of  the 
main  aim. 

{g)  It  is  well  to  use  the  question  and  answer  method  to  bring  out  the 
points  of  the  lesson  on  the  trip.  As  far  as  possible  make  the  students  think 
out  the  points. 

Qi)  The  lesson  of  the  trip  should  be  summarized  by  a  later  class  discussion 
and  generally  by  means  of  a  notebook. 

Diseases  and  Insects  Affecting  Farm  Crops. — In  a  majority  of  cases,  the 
entire  newness  of  the  subjects  of  plant  pathology  and  entomology  to  the 
student  and  the  lack  of  training  for  these  subjects  on  the  part  of  the  instruc- 
tor makes  it  impractical  to  go  far  into  these  subjects.    In  many  schools  the  in- 
8 


structor  can  arrange  that  a  part  of  the  work  can  be  given  in  the  biology  course. 

He  must,  however,  have  a  working  knowledge  of  the  terminology  of 
plant  diseases  and  insects.  A  special  study  of  insects  and  diseases  by  the 
instructor  is  worth  while  because  a  large  proportion  of  questions  asked  by 
farmers  deals  with  these  subjects. 

The  student  must  knov/  enough  terms  so  that  he  can  understand  (1) 
the  life  cycle,  (2)  the  description  (so  that  identification  is  possible),  and  (3) 
control  measures  for  the  most  common  diseases.  Which  diseases  shall  be 
studied,  is  for  the  most  part  a  local  problem. 

The  following  references  will  be  found  useful: 

Cook,  M.  T.,  Applied  Economic  Botany  (Ltppincott)  . 

Percival,  J.,  1915,  Agricultural  Botany  (Holt),  Chapters  46  and  47. 

Duggar,  B.  M.,  Fungous  Diseases  of  Plants  (Ginn). 

The  students  should  understand  the  terminology  of  entomology  well 
enough  to  learn  the  life  cycle,  description  and  control  of  the  important  crop 
insects.    Useful  references  are: 

Washburn,  F.  R.,   Injurious  Insects  and  Useful  Birds   (Lippincott). 

Sanderson,  E.  D.,  and  Peairs,  L.  M.    School  Entomology  (Wiley). 

Directions  for  Collection  and  Preservation  of  Insects,  U.  S.  National 
Museum,  Bui.  67. 

Plant  Physiology. — It  is  best  to  arrange  for  the  student  to  get  his  plant 
physiology  in  his  botany  course  previous  to  studying  farm  crops.  Where  this 
is  not  possible  the  suggested  plan  is  that  a  series  of  demonstrations  be  pre- 
pared by  the  instructor  and  given  at  the  beginning  or  end  of  the  first  seven  or 
eight  recitations.  The  students  may  be  required  to  make  note  of  each  demon- 
stration according  to  a  regular  outline. 

By  this  method  the  student  should  get  the  necessary  principles  of  plant 
physiology.  The  average  student  lacks  skill  in  setting  up  well  the  necessary 
apparatus  to  demonstrate  these  things  for  himself  in  the  laboratory  and  the 
returns  for  time  spent  are  small. 

Material. — A  large  and  varied  supply  of  plant  and  seed  specimens  is 
essential  for  teaching  farm  crops.  Several  supply  houses  can  furnish  this 
material  but  the  instructor  can  secure  the  bulk  of  it  at  no  cost  from  farms 
in  his  locality,  commercial  houses  dealing  in  certain  crop  products,  fairs  and 
other  exhibits.  The  students  can  obtain  many  specimens  from  their  own  and 
adjoining  farms. 

Equipment. — Farm  crops  can  be  taught  with  less  equipment  than  most 
other  subjects  and  part  of  it  can  be  made  in  the  school  sh6p.  The  following 
is  a  suggested  list  for  ten  students:  :.•.';.  .  . 

9 


10  small  microscopes,  tripod  type. 

Mouseproof    and    ratproof   box,  drawer    or    compartment   for   storing   grain   and 
head  samples. 

Seed  corn  tree,  rack  or  other  device  for  storing. 

Sawdust  box  com  germinator  and  cloths. 

4  dozen  perforated  blotter  germinators  for  small  seeds  (Fig.  1). 

10  glass  squares. 


Fig.  1. — A  method  of  germinating  small  seeds.    The  glass  fits  over  the  blotter.    The  upper  blotter  contains 
100  perforations  into  which  the  seeds  fit.    The  under  blotter  is  a  moisture  reservoir. 

10  large  glasses  to  set  over  the  blotters  on  the  squares  (Fig.  1). 

2  dozen  2-ounce  screw  top  vials. 
1  gross  small  vials  and  corks. 

3  dozen  16-ounce  white  flint  wide  mouth  bottles  and  corks. 
1  dozen  32-ounce  white  flint  wide  mouth  bottles  and  corks. 
Collection  of  100  weed  seeds  commonly  found  in  commercial  seeds. 
School  set  of  economic  seeds. 

(The  above  two  collections  may  sometimes  be  secured  from  the  Seed  Laboratory, 
Bureau  of  Plant  Industry,  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture,  Washington,  D.  C,  but  they  are  not 
always  available). 

10  cardboard  weed  seed  holders. 

Beaver  board  or  other  stiff  card  on  which  to  fasten  specimens,  diagrams,  photo- 
graphs, etc. 
10 


^cS^rtr"^  ^T  ^  T^"  "^  ''''^*  "°"^  ^'"^  ™"Sh,  thin,  absorbent  paper). 
100  botany  mounting  cards.  p^f^i;. 

Insect  killing  bottle. 

Hand  sprayer. 

Potato  fork  or  hook. 

Corn  knife. 

1  family  scale,.  24  pounds. 

1  peck  measure. 

10  flower  pots. 

Trowels. 


11 


Grade. 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  1 
CROP  SURVEY 
Object. — To  make  a  brief  survey  of  the  crops  in  the  locality. 
Directions. — Each  student  should  ask  three  farmers  for  the  information 
necessary  to  fill  out  -the  following  outline  for  each.     The  figures  should  be 
for  the  crops  of  the  previous  year. 


Name  of  Crop 

Variety 

Acres 

Average  Yield     1       Total  Yield 

Use 

1 

I 

Orchard 

Pasture 

Woods 

Miscellaneous .  . 

What  is  the  rotation? 

All  the  records  taken  by  the  class  should  be  combined  in  summary. 

Summary  of  all  Records  Taken  by  the  Class 


Crop 

Total 
Acres 

Average 
Yield 

Total 
Yield 

Average 

Yield  of 

State 

(Census) 

Percent 
of  Area 

Most  Important 
Three  Varieties 

Most  Impor- 
tant Use 

Orchard .... 

Pasture 

Woods 

■ 

Miscella- 
neous 

100 

What  is  the  most  common  rotation? 
12 


Grade. 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  2 

CROP  PRICES 

Object. — To  chart  the  market  price  of  some  crop  for  a  school  year. 

Directions. — On  the  price  chart  the  vertical  lines  show  the  prices,  and 
the  horizontal  lines  show  the  dates.  Each  student  should  choose  a  crop 
and  a  grade  thereof  as  designated  in  the  market  reports.  Select  the  publication 
which  will  be  preferably  a  weekly  agricultural  paper,  from  which  you  will 
get  your  prices. 

A  duplicate  of  the  chart  in  the  manual  should  be  kept.  These  duplicates 
can  all  be  posted  together  in  the  laboratory  and  can  be  discussed  from  time 
to  time. 


Name  of  Crop 

Grade 

Publication 

Day  of  Issue 

1 

SUMMARY  OF  PRICE  CHANGES  DURING  THE  YEAR  AND  THE 
PROBABLE   REASONS 


13 


Exercise  2     (Continued) 


Prices 


14 


Grade. 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  3 

FLOWER  PARTS 

Object. — To  understand  the  flower  and  its  parts. 

Definitions. — Taking  any  simple  flower  such  as  the  nasturtium,  geranium, 
or  morning  glory,  the  instructor  should  point  out  the  location  and  uses  of  the 
following  parts:  Sepals,  petals,  stamens,  carpels,  pistil,  filament,  anther, 
ovary,  style,  stigma,  receptacle  (Fig.  2). 


FLOWER 


COROLLA  CALYX  PISTIL     STAMEM 


STIGMA 
.  CSTVLE 

OjovARy 


*  ANTHER 
-  FILAMENT 


PETAL         SEPAL 


Fia.  2. — Parts  of  a  complete  flower. 


Drawings. — Parts  should  be  labelled  by  ruling  a  line  from  the  part  to 
the  name  of  the  part  in  the  column  at  the  right.    Draw  all  parts  large. 

1.  Carefully  pull  away  the  petals.    Draw  a  petal. 

2.  Pull  off  the  sepals,  leaving  only  stamens  and  pistils.    Draw  sepal. 

3.  Take  off  the  stamens.     Draw  a  stamen  showing  filament,  anther  and 
anther  lobes. 

4.  Only  the  pistil  remains.    Draw  this  showing  ovary,  style  and  stigma. 
Application. — 1.  How  is  a  grain  or  pod  related  to  the  parts  of  a  flower? 

2.  What  is  a  cross-fertilized  flower?     A  self-fertiUzed  flower?     What 
crops  belong  to  each  class? 

3.  What  effect  do  the  relative  positions  of  the  stigma  and  anthers  have 
on  fertilization? 

4.  Describe  the  corn  flower.    Why  are    certain    rows    of    corn    some- 
times detasseled? 

5.  How  do  insects  help  in  the  production  of  seeds? 

Reference. — Percival,  J.,  1915,  Agricultural  Botany  (Holt),  78-88.  Cook^, 
M.  F.,  1919,  Applied  Economic  Botany  (Lippincott). 


15 


Exercise  3     (Continued) 


LABELS 


16 


Grade. 
Date. . 


Marchif, 
endosperrri 


embrw 

^hornu 
'enaosperm 


Fig.  3. — Cross  section  of  a  kernel  of  corn.     (Robbins' 
Botany  of  Crop  Plants,  P.  Blakiston,  Son  &  Co.) 


EXERCISE  4 

SEEDS  AND  SEEDLINGS 

Object. — To  understand  seeds  and  seedlings  and  their  parts. 

Material. — Corn  and  bean  plants  two  weeks  old,  corn  and  beans  which 
have  germinated,  and  corn  and  beans 
which  have  been  soaked  over  night. 

Directions. — All  drawings  for  this 
exercise  should  be  five  times  natural 
size.  Seeds  may  be  divided  into  two 
groups  according  to  the  way  food 
is  stored. 

A.  Food  Stored  in  Cotyledons, or 
first  two  leaves.     Example,  the  bean. 

1.  Take  a  soaked  bean,  remove 
the  seed  coat  and  separate  the  cotyle- 
dons. Make  a  drawing  showing  the 
embryo  (Uttle  plant).  Label  coty- 
ledon, plumule  radicle. 

2.  Draw  a  germinated  bean, 
labelling  all  parts. 

3.  Draw  a  plant  two  weeks  old,  labelling  all  parts. 

B,  Food  Stored  in  Endosperm. — Example,  corn. 

1.  Shave  down,  on  the  germ  side, 
a  kernel  of  corn  so  that  the  germ  is 
fully  exposed.  Make  a  drawing,  label- 
hng  endosperm,  embryo,  scutellum,  plu- 
mule, radicle.    (Fig.  3.) 

2.  Draw  a  kernel  of  germinated  corn 
labelling  all  parts. 

3.  Draw  a  corn  plant  two  weeks 
old,  labelling  all  parts. 

Application. — 1.  Why  is  it  that  the 
bean  seedling  has  diflftculty  in  breaking 
through  a  crust?    Compare  with  wheat  and  corn. 

2.  What  are  the  food  values  of  the  different  parts  of  the  corn  kernel? 

3.  What  are  hominy,  corn  starch,  and  corn  oil  cake  in  relation  to  the 
seed  parts? 

4 .  How  are  germs  in  corn  kernels  killed  and  how  do  they  appear  when  dead? 


Fig.  4. — A  wheat  seedling.     (Robbins'  Botany  of 
Crop  Plants,  P.  Blakiston,  Son  &  Co.) 


Exercise  4     (Continued) 


LABELS 


18 


Grade. 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  5 

CREEPING  AND  UNDERGROUND  PARTS 

Object.— To  know  the  types  of  creeping  and  underground  parts  of  plants. 

1.  Parts  of  a  Root. — Obtain  corn  and  bean  seedlings  which  were  grown 

for  the  previous  exercise.    Note  that  the  primary  root  of  the  bean  is  strongly 

developed  and  secondary  roots  branch  from  it.    The  pHmary  root  of  corn  is 


Fia.  5. — ^A  fibrous-root  as  shown  by  a  grass 
plant.     (Cook's  Applied  Economic  Botany.) 


Fig.  6. — A  fleshy  root  as  shown  by  a  car- 
rot.  (Cook's  Applied  Economic  Botany.) 


succeeded  by  others  which  do  not  arise  as  branches  upon  the  primary  one 
but  spring  from  the  stem  a  certain  distance  below  the  groimd.  The  roots  of 
common  grasses  and  cereals  form  in  this  way.  Note  the  fine  root  hairs  which 
form  just  back  of  the  root  tips.  Through  these  the  plant  obtains  food  from 
the  soil. 

2.  Types  of  Creeping  and  Underground  Parts  of  Plants. — Draw  an 
example  of  each  type  to  scale  so  that  all  five  drawings  may  occupy  one  page. 
Do  not  draw  the  potato  tuber  since  this  will  be  done  in  a  later  exercise. 

A.  Fibrous  Root. — Examples:    Timothy,  wheat,  oats,  barley  (Fig.  5). 

B.  Tap  Root. — Examples:   Alfalfa,  red  clover. 

C.  Fleshy  Root. — Examples:   Carrot,  turnip,  beet  (Fig.  6). 

D.  Stolon. — Examples:   Strawberry,  orange  hawkweed. 

19 


Exercise  5     (Continued) 


Fig.  7. — A  rhizome.    The  underground  stem  of  Solomon's  seal.     (Cook's  Applied  Economic  Botany.) 


-    ...K-i.^'M^i^fmiPrfr/#  -  ...J   • 

Fig.  S.'^A  tuber  as  shown  by  the  potato.    (Copfc'g  Applied  Economic  Botany.) 


E.  Rhizome   (underground  stem). — ^Examples: 
Canada  thistle,  quack  grass  (Fig.  7).  -    *,'   ' 

F.  Tuber.— Examplel  Botato  (Fig.  8). '^^■ 
20 


Kentucky  blue  grass, 


Exercise  5      (Continued) 

3.  Further  Examples. — Place  the  names  of  the  common  plants  in  your 
locality  in  the  table  below  as  they  fall  in  one  or  more  of  the  six  groups.  For 
example,  a  plant  may  have  both  rhizomes  and  fibrous  roots. 


Fibrous  Root 

Tap  Root 

Fleshy  Root 

Stolon 

Rhizome 

Tuber 

i 

1 

Application. — 1.  Compare  the  root  systems  of  timothy  and  clover.   Give 
one  reason  why  they  grow  well  together. 

2.  Why  should  an  aKalfa  field  have  a  supply  of  lime  in  the  subsoil? 

3.  Can  you  control  quack  grass  and  orange  hawkweed  by  preventing 
seed  formation? 

4.  What  does  a  grass  sod  consist  of? 

5.  Why  does  a  wild  carrot  not  produce  seed  the  first  year? 


2t 


Exercise  5     (Continued) 


LABELS 


22 


Grade. 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  6 
GRASS  FAMILY 

Object. — To  learn  the  characteristics  of  the  Graminese  (Grass  Family). 

Materials. — Corn  and  oat  plants,  wheat  and  barley  spikes. 

Explanation. — Both  the  cereals  and  the  grasses  belong  to  the  Family 
Gramineae,  the  members  of  which  are  similar  in  structm^e.  Agriculturally, 
this  family  is  more  important  than  any  other. 

Roots. — The  Graminese  have  fibrous  roots.    See  Exercise  5. 

Stems. — The  typical  stem  of  the  Graminese  is  hollow,  is  circular  or 
flattened  in  section  and  is  divided  by  nodes. 

Drawing  I. — Draw  the  transverse  section  of  a  corn  stem. 

Drawing  II. — Draw  the  longitudinal  section  of  a  short  piece  of  corn 
stem  which  includes  a  node. 

Drawing  III. — Draw  a  longitudinal  section  of  a  sheath  ring  on  oats. 
Be  careful  to  show  the  relation  of  the  ring  to  the  node.  This  ring  occurs 
on  oats,  bent  grasses  and  fesque  grasses. 

Leaf. — The  leaves  of  the  Graminese  are  arranged  in  two  rows  alternating 
up  the  stem.    The  leaf  consists  of  a  sheath  and  a  blade. 

Drawing  IV. — Draw  the  junction  of  the  leaf  and  the  blade  on  a  corn  leaf. 
Show  sheath,  ligule,  auricle  and  blade. 

Spikelets. — The  spikelets  of  the  Graminese  have  (1)  a  pair  of  outer 
glumes;  (2)  a  flowering  glume  and  palea  surrounding  each  kernel;  (3)  an 
undeveloped  flower  represented  by  the  axis  and  empty  glimies. 

Drawing  V. — Arrange  the  oat  spikelet  parts  in  the  order  in  which  they 
occur.    Draw  (  X  3)  and  label  them  carefully. 

Drawing  VI. — Draw  a  wheat  spikelet  in  the  same  manner. 

Drawing  VII. — Draw  the  barley  spikelet.  Note  that  three  spikelets 
occur  at  a  node  instead  of  one  as  in  oats  and  wheat. 

Observation. — 1.  The  clsiss  should  observe  a  corn  ear  (Fig.  9)  and  tassel 
and  note  the  similarity  in  structure  to  the  three  spikelets  drawn. 

2.  Observe  resemblance  between  spikelets  drawn  and  spikelets  of  timothy, 
rye  grass  or  one  of  the  other  grasses. 

Discussion. — After  reading  Sargent,  F.  L.,  Corn  Plants,  pages  11-34, 
Cambridge,  1899,  the  instructor  should  discuss  with  the  class  the  ways  in  which 
the  structure  of  the  Gramineae  enables  them  to  cope  with  their  environment. 


23 


Exercise  6     (Continued) 


Fig.  9. — The  Structure  of  an  Ear  of  Corn.  I.  A  young  ear  cut  through  the  middle  lengthwise.  Sk, 
Sk,  the  main  stalk;  Sk',  a  short  branch  which  bears  the  ear;  Sh,  sheathing  of  lower  part  of  the  leaf  which 
enfolds  the  whole  ear  and  its  husks;  B,  blade  of  the  same  leaf;  R.  G,  rain-guard  which  keeps  the  rain 
from  running  into  the  sheath  and  promoting  decay;  H,  the  "husks"  or  large,  leaf-like  bracts  around  the 
ear;  Sg,  stigmas  (the  "silk")  protruding  beyond  the  husks.  About  one-third  natural  size.  II.  A  spikelet 
of  the  same  ear,  showing  the  bracts  (C,  C,  D,  D',  E,  E'),  and  the  ovary  (O)  and  the  lower  part  of  the 
^tyle  <SY)  of  the  single  pistil.  Enlarged.  III.  Upper  part  of  the  stigma  of  the  same,  showing  the 
deUcate  hairs  that  cover  it.    Enlarged.     (Sargent.) 

References.— Carrier,  Lyman.  U.S.Dept.  Agr.  Bui.,  No.461.  Ward,  H.  M., 
1908,  Grasses  (Cambridge  University  Press).  Sargent,  F.L.,  1899,  Corn  Plants 
(Houghton  Mifflin).  Hitchcock,  A.  S.,  1914,  Text-book  of  Grasses  (Macmillan). 
24 


Exercise  6     (ContinuTed) 


LABELS 


25 


Exercise  6     (Continued) 


LABELS 


26 


Grade. 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  7 

FIELD  SELECTION  OF  CORN 

Object. — To  show  the  class  the  best  type  of  corn  plant  from  which  to 
breed,  and  to  give  each  student  practice  in  field  selection. 

Step  1. — The  class  should  decide  on  the  desired  type 
and  the  instructor  should  illustrate  each  desirable  and 
undesirable  character  in  the  field. 

Consider  the  following  characters: 

1.  A  vigorous  plant.  Such  a  plant  should  be  stocky  at 
the  base,  straight,  average  or  slightly  above  average 
in  height. 

2.  One  ear  to  the  plant.  Unless  in  an  average  season 
on  average  ground  one  can  grow  two  ears  per  plant  it 
is  better  to  select  plants  having  one  good  ear. 

3.  Ear  located  one-third  to  one-half  the  distance  from 
the  base  to  the  tassel  and  moderately  drooping. 

A  low  ear  does  not  blow  off  so  easily,  is  easier  to 
husk  and  ripens  earlier.  A  drooping  ear  is  protected 
from  moisture. 

4.  A  mature  ear.   Maturity  indicates  good  adaptation. 
Step  2. — Each  student  should  take  one  or  more  rows 

and  should  select  good  and  poor  plants  in  respect  to  the 
four  characters  listed  above.  When  these  plants  are 
brought  to  the  end  of  the  row  the  class  may  decide  which 
plant  best  illustrates  each  character.  Then  the  class  should 
search  for  plants  which  are  strong  in  all  four  characters. 


Fig.    10.^— a    seed    corn 

tree.    Field  Crops 
(Wilson  and  Warburton) 


Reference. — Bussell,  F.  P.,  Cornell  University.  Improving  the  Corn 
Crop,  Reading  Course  Lesson  129.  Read  in  any  good  text  on  field  crops, 
methods  of  storing  seed  corn  (Fig.  10). 


27 


Grade. 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  8 

TYPES  OF  CORN 

Object. — To  learn  to  recognize  the  important  types  and  varieties  of  corn. 
Materials. — Ears  representing  the  four  main  types  of  corn  (Fig.  11), 


Fig.  11. — Types  of  corn.     From  left  to  right,  pod  corn,  pop-corn,  flint  corn,  dent  corn,  flour  corn  and  sweet 
corn.     (Productive  Farm  Crops,  Courtesy  Macmillan  Pub.  Co.) 

dent,  flint,  pop  and  sweet;  also  grains  of  each  that  have  been  prepared  by 
soaking  24  hours. 

Drawings. — With  a  sharp  knife  shave  the  germ  side  of  a  kernel  of  each 
type,  exposing  the  germ.  Make  drawings  of  each  showing  relative  proportion 
of  (1)  hard  starch,  (2)  soft  starch,  (3)  germ.  Use  the  following  system  in 
sketching  these  parts  :  Hard  starch,  parallel  lines.  Soft  starch,  blank. 
Germ,  solid  pencihng. 

Description. — Describe  an  ear  of  each  type.    Use  the  descriptive  terms 
in  Productive  Farm  Crops,  pages  98-99. 
28 


Exercise  8      (Continued) 

Outline  for  Describing  Corn 


Type 

1                                \ 

i                                 ' 

Ear: 
Color    . 

Shape 

!                      ! 

Proportions.  .  . 

i                       ; 

Tips 

j                      j 

' 

Butts 

i 

' 

Rows: 

Spacing 

1 
1 

Arrangement.  . 

Number 

Kernels: 

Shape,  broad.  . 

i                    ! 

!                               1 

Shape,  edge .  .  . 

Crown 

!                                                             j 

Depth 

i 

Shanl^: 

Size 

:                                    ,                                     1 

Local  Varieties. — Every  school  teaching  agriculture  should  have  a  collec- 
tion of  the  varieties  of  corn  grown  in  the  locality.  The  students  can  add  to 
this  collection,  also  the  exhibitors  at  the  local  fair.  Let  the  class  describe 
these  varieties  according  to  the  above  outline  and  also  bear  in  mind  the  time 
it  takes  each  variety  to  mature.  If  there  is  time,  number  each  variety,  let 
the  students  identify  and  place  the  name  of  each  opposite  its  number  on  a 
sheet  of  paper. 


Reference. — Sturtevant,  E.  L. 
Expt.  Station  Bui.  57. 


1899,  Varieties  of  Corn.     U.  S.  D.  A. 


29 


Grade. 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  9 

CORN  JUDGING 

Object. — To  score  and  judge  corn. 

Material. — A  set  of  ears  to  illustrate  the  points  on  the  score  card,  some 
five-ear  samples  to  illustrate  the  points  under  uniformity  and  at  least  three 
ten-ear  samples  to  score  and  judge. 

Step  I. — ^Learning  the  Points  on  the  Score  Card. — Students  should 
fill  in  blanks. 

Fancy  Points : 

Shape  and  Proportions  of  Ears. — Compare  Nos. and .    No. 

is  cylindrical,  No. is  tapering.    Compare  Nos. and .    No. 

is  poorly  proportioned,  No. is  well  proportioned. 

Tip  of  Ears. — Compare  Nos. and No. has  crooked  irregular 

rows.  No.  has  straight,  regular  rows.     Compare  Nos.  and . 

No.  has  small  depth  of  tip  kernel.     No.  has  good  depth  of  tip 

kernel.    Compare  Nos. and .    No. has  exposure  of  cob,  No. 

has  no  exposure  of  cob. 

Butts  of  Ears. — Compare  Nos.- -and^ .    No.- 'has  irregular  rows. 

No. has  regular  rows.     Compare  Nos. and .     No. has 

poor  depth  and  shape  of  butt  kernel.    No. has  good  depth  and  shape  of 

kernel.    Compare  Nos. , , , .    Flat  butt,  No. ;  expanded 

butt.  No. ;  contracted  butt,  No. ;  well  rounded  butt,  No. . 

Spacing  of  Rows. — Compare  Nos. and .    No. has  poorly 

fitting  rows,  No. has  well  fitting  rows. 

Shape  of  Kernels. — See  Productive  Farm  Crops,  Fig.  36.  Remember 
that  eastern  grown  dent  kernels  will  not  be  as  deep  as  the  western  grown  but 
should  be  shaped  so  that  no  space  is  wasted  between  rows. 

Uniformity. — Size. — Compare  samples and .     Sample has 

poor  size  uniformity.    Sample has  good  size  uniformity. 

Shape. — Compare  samples and .    Sample has  poor  shape 

uniformity.    Sample has  good  shape  uniformity. 

Indentation. — Compare  samples and .    Sample has  poor 

indentation  uniformity.     Sample has  good  indentation  uniformity. 

Kernel. — Compare  samples and .    Sample has  poor  kernel 

uniformity.    Sample has  good  kernel  uniformity. 

30 


Exercise  9      (Continued) 

Practical  Points : 

Maturity. — Compare  Nos. ,- , , , .    No.  ^ — -can 

be  twisted,  No. has  discolored  tips,  No. is  blistered,  No. is 

pinched  at  the  top  of  the  kernel,  No. has  good  maturity. 

Plumpness  of  Kernel. — Compare  Nos. and .    No. has  a 

shrunken  tip;  No. has  a  plump  tip. 

Color  or  Luster  of  Kernel. — Compare  Nos.  and .    The  kernels 

of  No. have  dull  color;  the  kernels  of  No. have  bright  color. 

Quality  of  Germ. — Compare  Nos. , , .  No. has  a  dis- 
colored germ.     No.  has  a  shrunken  germ,  No.  has  a  bright, 

plump  germ. 


Fig.  12. — A  good  ten-ear  sample  of  Reid's  Yellow  Dent.     (Agriculture  and  Life.) 

Size  of  Shank. — Compare  Nos. , , .    The  shank  of  No. 

is  too  large,  the  shank  of  No. is  too  small,  the  shank  of  No. is  of 

desirable  size. 

Step  2. — ^Placing  Single  Ears. 

A.  With  a  five-ear  exhibit  for  practice,  pick  out  the  ear  that  is  best  in 
"shape  and  proportion."  Next  pick  out  the  poorest,  then  arrange  the  five 
ears  in  order  of  merit  when  this  point  only  is  considered. 

B.  Take  the  next  point  on  the  score  card  and  arrange  the  ears  according 
to  tips,  and  so  on  through  all  the  points. 

C.  Pick  the  best  ear  when  fancy  points  only  are  considered. 

D.  Pick  the  best  ear  when  practical  points  only  are  considered. 

E.  Pick  the  best  ear,  all  points  considered. 

F.  Repeat  with  other  five-ear  exhibits. 

31 


Exercise  9     (Continued) 

Steps. — Scoring  and  Placing  Ten-Ear  Exhibits  (Fig.  12). 

After  adding  scores  the  student  should  consider  whether  he  has  scored 
highest  the  sample  he  believes  to  be  best.  If  his  scoring  and  opinion  do  not 
agree  he  should  go  over  the  score  card  again.  At  the  close  of  the  period  the 
placings  should  be  discussed  and  the  principles  of  corn  judging  summarized. 

Reference. — Montgomery,  E.  G.,  1916,  Productive  Farm  Crops  (Lippin- 
cott).  Chapter  XIV. 

Score  Card  for  Corn 


Number  of  Sample  or  Ear 

Fancy  points  indicating  trueness  to 
type  (55): 

1.  Shape  and  proportions  of  ear. . . 

2.  Tips 

3.  Butts 

4.  Spacing  of  rows 

5.  Shape  of  kernels 

6.  Uniformity  of  ear  (20) 

(a)  Size 

(6)  Shape 

(c)  Indentation 

{d)  Kernel 

Practical  points  indicating  adaptation 
and  viabiUty  (45) : 

7.  Maturity 

8.  Plumpness  of  kernel 

9.  Color  of  kernel 

10.  Quahty  of  germ 

11.  Size  of  shank 


Points 


10 
5 
5 
5 

10 

5 
5 
5 
5 


10 
10 
10 
10 
5 

100 


32 


Grade. 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  10 

GOOD  GERMINATION 

Object. — To  determine  which  ears  will  germinate  strongly. 

Material. — Germination  box,  cloths,  sawdust,  ten  ears  of  corn  for 
each  student. 

Indications  of  Germinating  Power. — Let  each  student  take  ten  ears; 
the  instructor  should  see  that  students  have  both  poor  and  good  ears.  Ears 
should  be  numbered  1-100.  Describe  each  ear,  using  the  descriptive  terms 
in  Productive  Farm  Crops,  page  65. 


Number  of  ear 

Grain: 
Appearance 

Discolored 

Shape  of  tip 

Generall)exture . .. 

Germs: 

Covering 

Texture    . 

Air  space 

Color 

Preparing  Germination  Box. — See  directions  in  Productive  Farm  Crops, 
Chapter  VIII.     (Fig.  13.) 

Starting  the  Test. — Let  each  student  take  six  kernels  from  each  of  his 
ten  ears.  In  removing  kernels  take  two  from  near  the  butt  on  opposite  sides 
of  the  ear,  two  from  the  middle,  two  from  near  the  tip,  turning  the  ear  enough 
so  as  not  to  take  two  kernels  out  of  the  same  row.  Place  the  kernels  from 
each  ear  in  the  square  having  the  same  number.  If  the  box  is  kept  in  a  warm 
room,  results  follow  in  5  or  6  days,  if  proper  moisture  is  maintained. 

Results  of  the  Test. — The  first  three  columns  in  the  following  table 
should  be  filled  out  when  the  test  starts;  the  remaining  four  columns  at  the 
conclusion  of  the  test. 

33 


Exercise   10      (Continued) 


Ear 
Number 

Estimated 

Quality, 
Good,  Med- 
ium, Poor 

Estimated 

Rank,  1st, 

2d,  etc. 

Final  Rank 

Number  of 
Strong 
Kernels 

Number  of 
Weak  Kernels 

Number  of 
Dead  Kernels 

i 
1 

1 

i 

Rag  Doll  Method  of  Testing  Com. — Study  the  rag  doll  method  as  shown 
in  figures  17,  18,  19,  and  20.    See  Productive  Plant  Husbandry  (Lippincott.) 


Fig.  13. — A  Sawdust  Box  Corn  Germinator.  Thirty  inches  sauare  and  four  inches  deep.  The  cloth  marked 
out  in  squares  has  been  placed  on  two  inches  of  packed  wet  sawdust.  The  six  kernels  in  each  square  are  taken 
from  an  ear  of  corn  marked  with  the  same  number.    Over  these  the  moistened  cover  cloth  is  being  placed. 

34 


Exercise   10     (Continued) 


Fig.  14. — hayiag  on  the  Top  Cloth.    The  cloth  shoiild  be  several  inches  litLi  i  than  the  germination  box. 


Fia.  15. — Packing  Sawdust.    The  box  should  now  be  filled  with  one  inch  of  warm  moist  sawdust  and  packed 

down  carefully. 


las^  '^"^■IIH 

^^m~WK  ^. 

^HHHHHI 

HHBjjnHHHH 

^^J^ 

^mm^ 

I^^^^H 

^^EP^m 

grfl 

wm^M 

^^1^1 

mi   1 

:■  '     "Wt 

WKKk^   ■  ^H 

^^^PP 

Pl'   5   ^J 

■  '% 

^BF 

'|4l 

^T". 

l^^^^H 

♦h% 

^^^H 

Fio.  16. — This  shows  how  the  cloth  should  be  folded.     (International  Harvester  Co.) 

35 


Exercise  10     (Continued) 

Conduct  an  exercise  by  this  method  and  note  results  as  before.  The  same 
samples  may  be  tested  by  the  two  methods,  either  by  the  same  students 
or  by  different  students. 

Reference. — Holden,  P.  G.  and  Waggoner,  J.  E.  Seed  Corn.  (Published 
by  Agricultural  Extension  Department,  International  Harvester  Co., 
Chicago,  111.) 


Fig.  17. — The  Rag  Doll  Tester.  Lay  out  the  corn  to  be  tested  on  the  table.  The  cloth  should  be  dip- 
ped in  warm  water  and  spread  as  shown.  Straighten  out  the  kernels  with  their  points  all  toward  one  side 
of  the  cloth,  and  the  germ  side  up.    The  tester  should  be  put  in  the  pail  with  the  points  of  the  kernels  down. 


Fig.  18. — Rolling  up  the  Tester.    After  the  squares  have  all  been  filled,  roll  up  the  tester,  tie  a  string  or  put 
a  rubber  band  around  the  center  just  tight  enough  to  hold  the  kernels  in  place. 

36 


Exercise   10     (Continued) 


Fig.  19.— Putting  Tester  in  Pail. 


Put  the  testers  in  a  pail, 
quart  pail. 


Do  not  put  more  than  ten  or  twelve  in  a  ten- 


FiG.  20. — Wrapping  up  Pail.  Fill  the  pail  with  lukewarm  water,  wrap  up  carefully  and  soak  for  five 
or  six  hours.  Drain  off  water,  lay  a  wet  cloth  over  the  top  of  the  rolls  and  let  stand  for  two  days.  Then 
soak  again  five  or  ten  minutes,  drain  the  pail  and  set  away  five  or  six  days.  Read  test  when  sprouts  are  about 
two  inches  long.  When  the  cloth  is  unrolled,  the  ears  must  bearranged  as  at  the  start  of  the  test  so  that 
they  are  opposite  the  squares  which  represent  them.     (International  Harvester  Co.) 


37 


Grade 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  11 

.  TYPES  OF  OATS 

Object. — To  learn  the  most  important  types  of  oats. 

Material. — Head  and  grain  samples  of  white,  yellow,  black  and  red 
varieties.  Samples  of  early  and  late,  side  and  panicled  oats  should  also  be 
included  (Fig.  21). 

Explanation. — Oats  belong  to  the  family  of  Gramineae,  the  genus  Avena, 
and  species  sativa. 

They  differ  from  wheat  and  rye  mainly  in  having  the  grain  borne  in  a 
panicle  rather  than  in  a  spike. 

Oats  are  classified  into  types  largely  on  the  basis  of  shape  of  the  panicle. 
Thus  we  have  three  main  types  of  oats : 

1.  Panicled  (branches  of  panicle  diverging  broadly  from  central  axis). 

2.  Compressed  (branches  closely  adjacent  to  the  central  spike). 

3.  Side  (branches  all  inclined  toward  one  side  of  the  central  axis). 
Directions. — Describe  samples  according  to  the  outline.    See  Productive 

Farm  Crops,  Chap.  XX,  for  descriptive  terms  for  oats.      To  find  the  per  cent 

Outline  for  Describing  Oats 


Name  of  Variety 

A.  Panicle: 

1.  Shape...                 . .  . . 

2.  Structure 

i 

3.  Awns 

B.  Spikelet: 

4.  Color 

5.  Width.  . 

6.  Number  grains 

1 

C.  Grain: 

7.  Color 

1 

8.  Shape 

9.  Crease 

10.  Tip. .      . 

11.  Per  cent  hull 

12.  Per  cent  kernel 

38 


Exercise  11      (Continued) 


of  hull  and  kernel  weigh  100  grains  taking  them  as  they  run.  Remove  hulls 
and  weigh  kernels.  Weight  of  hulls  will  equal  weight  of  grain  minus  weight 
of  kernels.  From  this  data  percentages  can  be  figured.  Each  student  should 
make  enough  hull  tests  so  that  the  class  may  have  duplicate  results  for 
each  variety. 


Fig.  21. — Two  types  of  oats,  panicle  and  side.     (Field  Crops  Wilson  and  Warburton.) 

Questions. — 1.  Which  have  the  larger  percentage  of  kernel,  side  or 
panicled  varieties? 

2.  Do  early  or  late  varieties  produce  the  most  strav/? 

3.  What  is  the  geography  of  white,  yellow,  black  and  red  varieties? 

References. — Montgomery,  E.  G.,  1916,  Productive  Farm  Crops  (Lip- 
pincott).  Chap.  XX.  Etheridge,  W.  C,  1916.  A  Classification  of  the 
Varieties  of  Cultivated  Oats.    Cornell  University  Agr.  Expt.  Sta.  Memoir  10. 


Date  . 
Grade 


EXERCISE  12 

JUDGING  OATS 

Object. — To  learn  to  judge  oats  on  the  basis  of  their  value  for  feed. 

Materials. — Threshed  samples  of  oats  of  different  varieties  and  types. 
If  peck  samples  cannot  be  obtained,  quart  samples  may  be  used. 

Method  of  Analysis. — Mix  each  sample  thoroughly  and  dip  out  about 
a  heaping  teaspoonful.  First,  analyze  the  samples,  filling  out  the  report 
card,  then  score  samples  from  this  data. 

Explanation  of  Score  Card. — In  this  score  card  oats  are  judged  entirely 
from  the  feeder's  standpoint.  It  is  not  possible  to  make  a  score  card  by 
which  a  sample  of  oats  could  be  judged  at  the  same  time  from  the  feeder's 
and  the  miller's  standpoint,  and  also  judge  the  grain  for  seed.  Different 
points  would  be  used  in  each  case  and  different  values  given  them. 

Uniformity  in  color  and  size  is  of  only  minor  importance  to  the  feeder. 
Divide  the  sample  according  to  the  color  of  grain.  Let  the  class  having  the 
largest  number  determine  the  color.  Cut  one  point  for  each  two  per  cent 
of  other  colors. 

Uniformity  in  Size. — Divide  the  sample  into  two  parts  according  to  size 
of  grain.  Estimate  per  cent  of  small  grains  by  count.  Cut  one  point  for  each 
four  per  cent  of  small  grains. 

Weight  per  bushel  is  a  very  important  consideration  in  estimating  the 
value  of  oats  for  feeding  purposes.  A  heavy  weight  indicates  that  the  grain 
was  well  matured  and  filled  out.  In  the  same  variety  a  heavy  lot  usually 
has  a  less  percentage  of  hull,  and,  consequently,  a  higher  feeding  value  than 
a  light  lot.  The  best  oats  should  weigh  38  pounds  per  bushel.  Cut  one  point 
for  every  pound  light  down  to  32  pounds  per  bushel,  and  two  points  for  every 
pound  light  below  this. 

Soundness  and  Dirt. — Sprouted  and  decayed  grains  have  little  more 
value  than  so  much  trash,  and  may  be  regarded  as  such  for  judging  purposes. 
Separate  all  unsound  grains  and  dirt,  estimate  the  per  cent  by  weight,  and 
cut  two  points  for  each  one  per  cent.  This  cut  is  not  limited  to  ten  points 
but  may  be  indefinite. 

Size  of  Grain. — Size  varies  greatly  with  varieties  but  100  grains  of  heavy 
oats  should  weigh  3  grams.    Cut  one  point  for  every  two-tenths  of  a  gram  less. 

Must  and  Smut. — If  must  and  smut  are  very  apparent  the  sample  should 
be  cut  10  points. 

Percentage  of  Hull. — ^The  percentage  varies  with  varieties,  the  locality 
in  which  the  oat  is  grown  and  also  depends  on  how  perfectly  the  grain 
40 


Exercise   12      (Continued) 


Report  Card  on  Threshed  Oats 
(Express  data  in  per  cent) 

Name  of  Sample 

1 

Color ...                  

Size: 

Large 

Small 

Weight  per  bushel 

Soundness  and  purity : 

Damaged  grain 

i 
1 

Size  of  grain 

Must,  smut,  etc 

Per  cent  of  hull     

Score  Card  for  Oats 

Number  of  Sample 

Uniformity,  20  per  cent: 
(a)  In  color 

...10 

(6)  In  size 

.  ..    10 

Quality,  80  per  cent: 

(a)  Weight  per  bushel .... 

...25 

(6)  Soundness  and  dirt .  .  . 

.  ..    10 

(c)  Per  cent  of  hull 

...25 

{d)  Size  of  grain 

.  ..    10 

(e)  Must,  smut 

...10 

Total 

.. ..100 

was  matured.  In  growth  the  hull  and  bran  develop  first,  and  the  starch  is 
deposited  last.  However,  if  from  any  cause,  such  as  dry  weather,  poor 
soil,  injury  from  insects,  etc.,  the  grain  is  prevented  from  maturing  perfectly, 

41 


Exercise  12     (Continued) 

the  development  of  the  starch  is  somewhat  curtailed  and,  consequently,  the 
percentage  of  hull  is  higher.  A  good  oat  may  have  as  high  as  30  per  cent  hull. 
Cut  two  points  for  every  per  cent  of  hull  above  this. 


''  Fig.  22.— a  hand  power  seed  cleaner.  The  seed  is  sifted  through  screen  as  far  as  1,  the  straw,  particles, 
etc.,  being  eliminated  at  2.  As  the  seeds  shde  down  over  the  screen  above  3,  the  sand  and  fine  seeds  drop 
through  and  are  eliminated.  The  good  seed  passes  into  the  air  shaft  at  4,  the  air  moving  upward  forced  by 
the  rotary  fan  at  8.  The  perfect  seeds  being  heavier  fall  and  pass  out  at  5.  The  remaining  dust,  chaff, 
etc.,  are  discharged  through  the  dust  hood  at  6.  Light,  imperfect  and  foreign  seeds  fall  into  the  opening  at  7. 
(Courtesy  A.  T.  Ferrell  &  Co.,  Saginaw,  Michigan.) 

Note. — If  one  is  careful  to  mix  each  sample  thoroughly  and  to  take 
the  grains  strictly  as  they  come,  it  is  possible  to  use  100-grain  samples  instead 
of  heaping  teaspoonfuls.  In  this  way  the  percentage  figuring  is  simplified 
and  much  time  is  saved  on  the  hulling. 

Use  of  Seed  Cleaner. — If  a  seed  cleaner  (Fig.  22)  is  available,  weigh  a 
bushel  of  oats  and  then  clean  it.    Weigh  the  products  resulting. 


Grade. 
Date. , 


EXERCISE  13 

OAT  SMUT 

Object. — To  learn  to  control  oat  smut. 

Material. — Grain  scoops,  sprinkling  cans,  50  gallon  barrel,  grain  bags 
and  one  pint  of  40  per  cent  formaldehyde  solution  (formalin)  for  every  40 


TREATING  OATS  FOR  SMUT 

Fig.  23. — First  Step — Spread  the  oats  to  be  treated  on  the  barn  floor.    Have  barrel,  scoop  shovel,  sprinkling 
can  and  bottle  of  formalin  ready.    One  pint  of  formalin  will  treat  forty  or  fifty  bushels  of  oats. 

bushels  of  oats  to  be  treated.    The  exercise  may  best  be  conducted  in  the 
barn  of  a  neighboring  farmer  who  wishes  to  have  his  oats  treated. 

Directions. — The  students  should  work  in  pairs,  each  student  to  alternate 
sprinkling  and  shoveling  (Figs.  23  to  28). 

1.  Dump  the  oats  after  cleaning  with  a  fanning  mill  on  a  clean  floor 
or  canvas. 

2.  Pour  forty  gallons  of  water  and  one  pint  of  formalin  in  the  barrel. 
This  amount  will  treat  50  to  60  bushels.    Fill  the  sprinklers  from  this  barrel. 

43 


Exercise   13      (Continued) 

3.  Let  one  student  sprinkle  the  formalin  on  the  oats  as  the  other  shovels 
them  over.  After  being  mixed  thoroughly,  shovel  them  into  a  pile  and  cover 
wath  bags  or  other  covering  which  has  been  wet  with  the  solution. 


Fig.  24. — Second  Step — Put  forty  gallons  of  water  in  the  barrel.    Pour  the  formalin  in  the  water  and  mix 
thoroughly.    Do  not  o{>en  formalin  or  put  in  the  water  until  the  oats  are  ready  to  treat. 

4.  Leave  a  few  hours  or  over  night;  then  take  off  the  covering  and  dry- 
out  by  spreading  in  a  thin  layer,  stirring  frequently. 

Precautions. — L  Treat  all  bags  with  which  the  oats  will  come  in  contact, 
also  the  drill. 

2.  If  sown  by  hand  before  drying,  allow  one  peck  of  oats  per  acre  extra. 


44 


Exercise  13     (Continued) 


Fig.  25. — Third  Step — Sprinkle  the  formalin  solution  on  the  oats  and  shovel  the  oats  thoroughly  in  order  to 
be  sure  that  all  the  oats  are  moistened.    Work  fast  so  that  little  of  the  formalin  gas  escapes  in  the  air. 


Fig.  26. — Fourth  Step — Shovel  the  oats  in  a  pile  so  they  can  be  easily  covered. 


45 


Exercise   13      (Continued) 


Fig.  27. — Fifth  Step — Cover  the  oats  with  canvas,  blankets  or  gunny  sacks  in  order  to  retain  formalin  gas. 
Leave  covered  for  eight  or  ten  hours  or  over  night. 


Fig.  28. — Sixth  Step — Uncover  the  oats  and  spread  them  out  in  dry.    Th 
dry.    Set  the  seeder  one  peck  per  acre  more  to  allow  for  swollen  grain. 

46 


.•  can  he  sown  as  soon  as  they  are 
(International  Harvester  Co.) 


Grade. 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  14 

TYPES  OF  WHEAT 

Object. — To  acquaint  the  student  sufficiently  with  the  different  types 
of  wheat  so  that  they  will  be  readily  recognized,  either  when  seen  in  the  head 
or  as  threshed  grain. 

Material. — Specimens  of  einkorn,  emmer,  spelt,  macaroni,  Polish, 
common  smooth  and  common  bearded  wheat.  Include  local  varieties 
of  wheat. 

Drawing. — Lay  out  the  heads  of  the  seven  types  of  wheat  in  the  order 
above  mentioned  from  left  to  right.    Sketch  each  of  these  in  order. 

2.  Lay  out  kernels  of  each  in  same  order  and  examine.  Draw  a  cross- 
section  of  each  kernel,  leaving  the  white  starch  blank,  but  indicating  vitreous 
portions  by  shading  with  a  pencil.    Draw  four  times  natural  size. 

Description. — Certain  technical  terms  are  used  in  describing  wheat. 
Look  over  the  specimens,  study  the  descriptive  terms  in  Productive  Farm 
Crops,  Chapter  XVI  and  describe  the  heads,  filling  out  the  following  table. 


Descriptive  Form  for  Wheat 


Name 

A.  Spike: 

1.  Beards 

2.  Shape 

3.  Cross-section 

i 

4.  Spacing  of  spikelets 

B.  Spikelet: 

1.  Width 

2.  Number  of  kernels 

3.  Glumes .                    ... 

4.  Color  of  chaff 

C.  Kernels: 
1.  Color 

2.  Hardness 

3.  Texture 

47 


Exercise   14      (Continued) 

Resume. — Fix  in  mind  the  types  by  the  following  methods : 

1.  Identify  the  types  unlabeled. 

2.  Discuss  the  use  of  each  type. 

3.  Place  local  varieties  in  the  proper  group. 

References.— Montgomery,    E.    G.,    1916,     Productive    Farm 
(Lippincott),  Chapter  XVI. 


Crops 


LABELS 


48 


Exercise  14   (Continued) 


LABELS 


49 


Grade. 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  15 
WHEAT  JUDGING 

Object. — To  learn  how  to  judge  threshed  wheat. 

Material. — Threshed  lots  of  wheats  representing  hard  winter,  hard 
spring,  red  wheat,  white  wheat  and  durum  wheat;  also  local  samples. 

Method  of  Analysis. — Mix  each  sample  thoroughly  and  dip  out  about 
a  teaspoonful.  If  the  student  is  very  particular  to  take  the  kernels  as  they 
come  100-grain  samples  may  be  used. 

Weight  per  Bushel. — In  measuring  grain  pour  it  into  container  loosely, 
fill  level  full  and  stroke  with  a  straight  edge.  A  one-  or  two-quart  sample  is 
sufficient  to  determine  the  weight  per  bushel. 

Purity  and  Soundness. — Foreign  matter  and  broken  or  injured  seeds  may 
bt  classed  together,  as  they  must  all  be  removed  to  find  net  weight  of 
good  grain. 

Injured  grains  are  of  four  classes:  1.  Bin  burnt  and  stack  burnt  means 
wheat  overheated  in  bin  or  stack,  causing  oil  to  exude  and  giving  a  dark 
appearance  to  the  germ  end. 

2.  Sprouted  grain.    Generally  shows  dried  sprout. 

3.  Broken  grain. 

4.  Shriveled  grain,  due  to  arrested  development  in  growth,  from  such 
causes  as  disease,  insects  or  unfavorable  weather. 

(Having  discarded  impurities  and  unsound  grain,  use  sound  sample  for 
the  rest  of  the  exercise.) 

Texture  and  Hardness. — In  general  the  wheats  from  the  drier  regions 
are  classed  as  ''hard"  wheats  while  those  from  the  humid  regions  are  classed 
as  ''soft"  wheats.  There  is  a  large  intermediate  class,  known  on  the  market 
as  "red"  wheats.  In  general  the  harder  wheats  are  darker  in  color  (the 
durum  wheat  is  an  exception)  and  higher  in  protein  content.  The  hard  wheats 
make  a  "strong"  flour  adapted  to  light  bread  making,  while  the  soft  wheats 
produce  a  "short"  and  "weak"  flour  adapted  to  biscuits  or  cracker  making. 

Color  c-f  Kernels. — ^As  already  explained,  color  is  related  to  hardness. 
The  "amber"  and  "clear  red"  wheats  are  those  mth  a  glassy  translucent 
appearance  when  broken,  and  hard  texture.  Most  hard  wheats  are  clear 
red  in  color  but  the  durum  wheats  are  an  exception,  being  "light  amber." 
The  "dull  red"  wheats,  known  as  "red"  on  the  market,  are  medium  hard, 
but  white  and  starchy  when  broken.  There  are  two  causes  of  redness  in  wheat. 
In  the  hard  red  wheats  the  redness  is  due  to  the  hard  vitreous  endosperm. 
50 


Exercise  15     (Continued) 


The  dull  red  wheats  which  are  medium  hard  owe  their  redness  to  red  pericarp. 
The  white  wheats  are  softer  and  pure  white  inside  when  broken. 

Size  of  Kernels, — This  is  arbitrary,  but  is  determined  by  comparison  with 
various  samples  of  wheat  of  types  representing  the  various  sized  kernels. 

Report  on  Wheat  Samples 
(Express  data  in  per  cent) 


Name  of  Sample                           j 

' 

Weight  per  bushel: i          1 

Purity  and  soundness: 

Foreign  matter 

Broken  grains 

Shriveled  grains 

Otherwise  damaged 

Texture  and  hardness: 
Hard  and.  vitreous 

Medium                                        .... 

Soft  and  starchy 

Color  of  kernels: 

Light  amber                                     .  . 

Clear  red 

Dull  red 

Whitish .                                  .... 

Size  of  kernels: 

Large 

Medium                                  .... 

Small 

Explanation  of  Cuts  in  Scoring  Samples 

1.  Weight  Per  Bushel — 30. — Good  wheat  should  weigh  60  pounds  per 
bushel.    Cut  2  points  for  each  pound  below  this. 

2.  Purity  and  Soundness — 30. — Cut  two  points  for  each  per  cent  of  foreign 
matter  or  broken  or  unsound  kernels. 

51 


Exercise  15     (Continued) 

3.  Uniformity  in  Color — 10. — Let  the  bulk  of  the  sample  determine  the 
color.    Cut  2  points  for  each  per  cent  of  other  colors. 

4.  Uniformity  oj  Texture — 25. — Cut  2  points  for  each  per  cent  of  texture 
not  uniform  with  the  bulk  of  sample. 

5.  Uniformity  in  Size — 5. — Cut   1   point  for  each  per  cent  of  small 
sized  grains. 

Scare  Card  for  Wheat 


Name  of  Sample 

Weight  per  bushel 

....30 

Purity  and  soundness 

....30 

Uniformity  in 

Color 

....10 

Texture •.  . . 

.. ..25 

Size  of  kernel 

..  ..   5 

ToT\L      . 

Note. — In  localities  where  wheat  is  a  main  crop  and  samples  of  the 
different  grades  may  be  easily  obtained,  an  exercise  on  the  description  and 
identification  of  grades  may  well  be  substituted  for  the  judging  exercise. 
A  description  of  the  grades  of  wheat  can  be  found  in  Productive  Farm  Crops, 
Appendix  IIT. 


52 


Grade. 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  16 
TYPES  OF  BARLEY 

Object. — To  learn  the  important  types  of  barley. 

Explanation. — Barley  differs  from  wheat  and  rye  in  having  three  flowers 
at  a  joint  of  the  rachis,  and  but  one  grain  per  spikelet.  In  the  six-row  barleys 
all  three  flowers  are  fertile  and  bear  grains.  In  the  two-row  barleys  the 
lateral  flowers  are  sterile  (undeveloped).  It  will  be  observed  that  the  outer 
or  empty  glumes  are  very  narrow  in  barley  while  in  wheat  and  oats  they  are 
broad,  enclosing  the  flower.  Read  carefully  Chapter  XXIII  in  Productive 
Farm  Crops  before  starting  this  exercise. 

Materials. — Head  and  grain  samples  of: 

1.  Six-row  barley  (Hordeum  hexastichum) . 

2.  Common  six-row,  lateral  grains  overlapping,  sometimes  called  four- 
row  (Hordeum  vulgare). 

3.  Two-row  barley,  slender  heads  (Hordeum  distichum). 

4.  Two-row  barley,  broad  heads  (Hordeum  zeocrithum). 

5.  Hulless  barley  (hooded  type). 

6.  Hulless  barley  (awnless  type). 


Outline  fi 

ir  Describing  Barleys 

Type  and  Variety 

A.  Spike: 
1.  Rows. 

2.  Type 

3.  Cross-sectibn 

4.  Awns 

B.  Spikelet: 

5.  Fertile .          

■ 

6.  Sterile 

7.  Color. 

_ 

C.  Grains: 

8.  Glumes 

9.  Color  of  kernel 

10.  Shape i                  \ 

\ 

11.  Texture 1 

53 


Exercise   16      (Continued) 

Directions. — Describe  the  types  according  to  the  outline  on  the  pre- 
ceding page.  For  descriptive  terms  see  Productive  Farm  Crops,  end  of 
Chapter  XXIII. 

II.  Lay  out  spikes  of  six-row,  common  six-row  and  two-row  barleys. 
Lay  a  brace  of  spikelets  from  each  type  just  below  the  respective  types.  Draw 
each  brace  (enlarged  X  3),  showing  (1)  relative  size  of  the  three  spikelets 
in  a  brace  in  the  six-row  types,  (2)  straightness  of  the  grains,  (3)  length  of  the 
grains,  (4)  prominence  of  the  two  nerves  on  the  back  of  the  spikelet.  After 
making  these  drawings  answer  the  following  questions: 

1.  How  may  we  distinguish  erect  six-row  (hexastichum)  barley  in  the 
threshed  sample? 

2.  How  may  we  distinguish  the  common  nodding  six-row  (vulgare)  in 
the  threshed  sample? 

3.  How  may  we  distinguish  two-row  barley  (distichum)  in  the  threshed 
sample? 

4.  How  may  we  distinguish  two-row  barley  (zeocrithum)  in  the  threshed 
sample. 

Reference. — Harlan,  H.  V.:  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture, 
Bulletin  622.  Montgomery,  E.  G.,  1916,  Productive  Farm  Crops  (Lippin- 
cott),  Chap.  XXIII.    Carleton,  M.  A.,  1916,  The  Small  Grains  (Macmillan). 


LABELS 


54 


Grade. 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  17 

GRASS  PLANTS 

Object. — To  learn  to  identify  and  know  the  characteristics  of  some  com- 
mon grass  plants  (Figs.  29  to  35). 

A.  Draw  head  specimens  of  timothy,  redtop,  orchard  grass,  Kentucky 
blue  grass,  Canada  blue  grass  and  other  grasses  of  local  importance.  Make 
drawings  about  twice  natural  size. 

B.  Identify  numbered  but  unlabeled  specimens. 

No.  1 No.  6 

No.  2 No.  7 

No.  3 ■ No.  8 .• 

No.  4 No.  9 

No.  5 No.  10 

C.  A  field  trip  to  study  grass  plants  will  nicely  supplement  this  exercise. 


Fig.  29. — Juncture  of  sheath  and  blade. 
Timothy. 


Fig.  30. — Juncture  of  sheath  and  blade. 
Redtop. 


55 


Exercise   17     (Continued) 


Fig.  31. — Juncture  of  sheath  and  blade. 
Orchard  grass. 


Fig.  33. — Juncture  of  sheath  and 
blade.     Kentucky  blue  grass. 


Fig.  34. — Juncture  of  sheath  and 
blade.     Canada  blue  grass. 


Fig.   32. — Juncture  of  sheath  and  blade. 
Meadow  fesque. 

56 


Fig.  35. — Juncture  of  sheath  and  blade. 
Quack  grass. 


Exercise  17   (Continued) 


LABELS 


67 


Exercise  17  (Continued) 


LABELS 


58 


Grade. 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  18 

GRASS  SEED 

Object. — To  learn  to  identify  and  know  the  characteristics  of  some  com- 
mon grass  seeds  (Figs.  36  and  37). 


Fig.  36. — Tripod  lens.     For  seed  testing  this  lens  is  satisfactory  and  inexpensive.     (Productive 

Plant  Husbandry.) 

A.  By  means  of  the  key  for  the  identification  of  grass  seeds  in  Productive 
Farms  Crops  by  E.  G.  Montgomery,  Chapter  XXXV,  identify  numbered 
but  unlabeled  seed  samples  of  timothy,  redtop,  orchard  grass,  Kentucky 
blue  grass,  Canada  blue  grass  and  other  grasses  of  local  importance. 


•No.  1 No.  4. 

No.  2 No.  5, 

No.  3 No.  6 


B.  Draw  the  same  seeds.    Make  the  largest  seed  one  inch  the  long  way 
and  the  others  in  proportion. 

C.  Identify  the  contents  of  numbered  but  unlabeled  mixtures. 


Mixture  1 Mixture  5 . 

Mixture  2 Mixture  6 . 

Mixture  3 Mixture  7. 

Mixture  4 Mixture  8. 


59 


Exercise  18     (Continued) 


Fig.  37. — A  weed  seed  holder.     This  device  can  be  made  from  two  layers  of  thick  cardboard  by  means 

of  a  shotgun  wad  cutter. 

References. — Montgomery,  E.  G.     1916  Productive  Farm  Crops  (Lip- 

pincott),  Chap.  XXXV.    Ward,  H.  M.,  1908,  Grasses  (Cambridge  University 

Press).     Testing  Farm  Seeds  in  the  Home  and  Rural  School,  U.  S.  D.  A. 

Farmers'  Bui.  428.    Hitchcock,  A.  S.,  1914,  Text-book  of  Grasses  (Macmillan). 

60 


Exercise  18   (Continued) 


LABELS 


61 


Grade. 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  19 

CLOVER  AND  ALFALFA  PLANTS 

Object. — To  learn  to  identify  and  know  the  characteristics  of  clover 
and  alfalfa  plants. 

A.  Describe  plants  according  to  outline. 


Red  Clover 

White  Clover 

Alsike  Clover 

Sweet  Clover 

Alfalfa 

Color  of  blossom 

Habit  of  growth 

Trace   outline  of  leaf 
showing  markings . . . 

Length  of  life 

Character  of  roots .... 

B.  Identify  numbered  but  unlabeled  specimens. 

No.  1 No.  5 No.  9.. 

No.  2 No.  6 No.  10. 

No.  3 No.  7 

No.  4 No.  8 


62 


Grade. 
Date. 


EXERCISE  20 

CLOVER  AND  ALFALFA  SEEDS 

Object. — To  learn  to  identify  and  know  the  characteristics  of  clover  and 
alfalfa  seeds. 

A .  By  means  of  the  key  for  the  identification  of  clover  and  alfalfa  seeds 
in  Productive  Farm  Crops  by  E.  G.  Montgomery,  Chapter  XXXV,  identify 
numbered  but  unlabeled  seed  samples  of  red  clover,  white  clover,  alsike  clover, 
sweet  clover  and  alfalfa. 

No.  1 No.  3. No.  5 

No.  2 No.  4 No.  6 


B.  Draw  these  seeds.    Make  the  largest  seed  one  inch  the  long  way  and 
the  others  in  proportion. 

C.  Identify  the  contents  of  the  numbered  but  unlabeled  mixtures. 


Mixture  1 Mixture  5 . 

Mixture  2 Mixture  6,. 

Mixture  3 Mixture  7. 

Mixture  4 Mixture  8. 


References. — Montgomery,  E.  G.,  1916,  Productive  Farm  Crops  (Lip- 
pincott).  Chap.  XXXV.  Testing  Farm  Seeds  in  the  Home  and  Rural 
School,  U.  S.  D.  A.  Farmers'  Bui.  428. 


63 


Exercise  20  (Continued) 


LABELS 


64 


Grade. 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  21 
STUDY  OF  ALFALFA 

Object. — To  study  alfalfa  in  the  field. 

Explanation. — It  is  not  expected  that  all  the  aims  of  this  field  trip  can 
be  realized  except  under  very  favorable  conditions.  The  number  of  aims  is 
somewhat  large  for  this  reason.  It  is  suggested  that  the  student  make  rough 
notes  in  the  field  and  copy  answers  into  this  manual  later  on  page  68. 

Aim  1. — To  examine  the  parts  of  the  alfalfa  plant  and  the  manner 
of  growth. 

Aim  2. — To  show  when  alfalfa  should  be  cut. 

Aim  3. — To  show  the  difference  between  common  alfalfa  and  the  varie- 
gated varieties. 

Aim  4. — To  show  the  effect  of  poor  drainage. 

Aim  5. — To  show  the  effect  of  soil  acidity. 

Aim  6. — To  observe  whatever  diseases,  insects  and  serious  weeds  may 
be  found. 

Ai7n  7 — To  discuss  alfalfa  culture  with,  an  alfalfa  grower. 

Aim  1 — (a)  What  is  the  length  of  the  longest  root  you  find? 
(h)  What  kind  of  a  root  has  alfalfa?    (See  Exercise  5.) 

(c)  Draw  part  of  an  alfalfa  root  showing  the  nodules  (Fig.  38).  The 
digging  must  be  careful  or  the  nodules  will  be  shaken  off. 

(d)  Find  the  largest  alfalfa  plant  you  can.  How  many  stems  arise  from 
the  crown? 

(e)  Early  in  the  season  alfalfa  may  be  confused  with  sweet  clover. 
Draw  a  leaf  of  each  showing  how  they  may  be  distinguished. 

Aim  2 — (a)  Draw  the  crown  of  an  alfalfa  plant  which  is  ready  to  cut. 
Indicate  the  length  of  the  shoots. 

Aim  3. — (a)  Dig  plants  of  common  and  variegated  alfalfa.  Examine 
blossoms.    How  do  they  differ? 

Aim  4. — (a)  Find  a  wet  spot  in  the  field  of  alfalfa.  What  is  the  effect 
on  the  alfaKa? 

Aim  5. — (a)  Find  a  spot  (not  wet)  where  alfalfa  does  not  thrive  and  such 
weeds  are  found  as  sheep  sorrel,  daisy,  paintbrush  and  plantain.  Make  a 
litmus  paper  test  of  the  soil  and  subsoil.     Describe  result. 

Aim  6. — Make  a  list  of  the  alfalfa  diseases  and  insects,  also  of  the  weeds 
found  in  any  quantity. 

65 


Exercise  21      (Continued) 


Aim  7. — Discuss  with  one  of  the  alfalfa  growers  whom  you  visit  such 
questions  as: 

(1)  The  use  of  nurse  crops. 

(2)  Time  of  planting. 

(3)  Amount  of  seed  per  acre. 

(4)  Number  of  cuttings  per  season  and  date  of  last  cutting. 

(5)  Winter  killing. 

(6)  Inoculation. 

(7)  Liming. 

(8)  Cultivation. 

(9)  Making  hay. 

(10)  Pasturing. 

Reference. — Montgomery,  E.  G.,  Productive  Farm  Crops  (Lippincott), 
Chap.  XLI. 


Fig.  38, — Root  system  of  alfalfa  showing  crown  and  nodules.     The  long  tap  root  may  extend  to  a  depth 

of  many  feet.     (U.  S.  D.  A.) 

66 


Exercise  21  (Continued) 


LABELS 


57 


Exercise  21  (Continued) 


68 


Grade. 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  22 

SEED  ANALYSIS 

Object. — To  analyze  clover,  alfalfa,  millet  or  timothy  seed  for  purity. 

Directions. — Dip  out  a  rounded  teaspoonful  *  from  the  sample  which 
you  test  for  germination.  Spread  this  out  on  a  sheet  of  white  paper  and 
with  the  aid  of  a  hand  lens  place  the  whole,  plump  seed  in  one  pile  and  the 
foreign  matter,  which  includes  shriveled  seed,  broken  seed,  dirt,  weed  seeds 
and  other  trash  in  other  piles.  Count  each  kind  of  seed,  if  there  are  more 
than  two  or  three,  and  by  using  the  ''Table  of  Weed  Seed  Weights"  figure 
the  percentage  of  each  kind  of  weed  seed  and  write  percentages  into  the  anal- 
ysis. Add  percentages  to  get  total  percentage  of  weed  seeds.  Estimate  and 
write  in  percentage  of  dirt,  inert  matter  and  poor  seeds.  Subtract  these 
percentages  from  100  to  get  the  percentage  of  pure  seed. 

Note. — The  instructor  may  put  into  the  samples  any  weeds  or  other 
foreign  matter  with  which  he  Welshes  the  class  to  become  familiar.  . 

References. — Testing  Farm  Seeds  in  the  Home  and  Rural  School. 
U.  S.  D.  A.  Farmers'  Bui.  428.  Cunningham,  J.  C.  and  Lancelot,  W.  H., 
1915,  Soils  and  Plant  Life  (Macmillan)  261-266. 

Table  of  Weed  Seed  Weights  ** 

In  the  first  column  of  numbers  below  is  given  the  number  of  seeds  of  each  of  the  common  weeds, 
required  to  make  one  per  cent  of  a  rounded  teaspoonful  of  clover  or  alfalfa  seed;  in  the  second  column  are 
the  numbers  of  seeds  of  the  respective  weeds  required  to  make  one  per  cent  of  a  sample  of  the  same  size 
of  timothy  or  millet  seed; 

Velvet  leaf 5            4  Peppergrass 125  100 

Quack  grass 20          16  Tickle  grass 125  100 

Tumbleweed 135  110  Bracted  plantain 36  28 

Small  ragweed 20          16  Buckhorn 57  46 

Wild  mustard 24          19  Plantain Ill  89 

Black  mustard 62          48  Black  bindweed 11  9 

Lambsquarter 72         57  Pennsylvania  smartweed 10  8 

Canada  thistle 45          36  Sheep  sorrel .  10  8 

Wild  carrot 63          50  Curled  dock 36  29 

Smooth  crab  grass 192  155  Russian  thistle 65  53 

Crab  grass 185  142  Yellow  foxtail 39  32 

Barnyard  grass 62  48  Green  foxtail 63  52 

Morning  glory 2            1.6  Vervain 24  20 

*  A  rounded  teaspoonful  of  clover  or  alfalfa  weighs  5  grams.  A  rounded  teaspoonful 
of  timothy  or  millet  weighs  4  grams. 

**From  Weeds  of  the  Farm  and  Garden.     L.  H.  Pammel. 


ExEKCTSE  22      (Continued) 

Record    of  Seed  Analysis 


Kind  of  Seed Secured  from . 

Kinds  and  percentages  of  weed  seed  present: 


Buckhom . 

Dock 

Pigw^eed.  . 


Total  percentage  of  weed  seeds 

Percentage  of  broken  and  shriveled  seeds 

Percentage  of  dirt  and  inert  matter 

Percentage  of  pnre  seed 


100 


70 


Grade. 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  23 
SEED  TESTING 

Object. — To  test  small  seeds  for  germination. 

Directions. — 1.  This  exercise  should  be  given  in  connection  with  the 
preceding  exercise.  The  same  sample  of  seed  is  to  be  tested  in  this  exercise 
for  germination  and  in  the  preceding  exercise  for  purity. 

2.  Secure  pieces  of  blotting  paper  about  23^2  inches  square.  Make  100 
perforations  in  each  blotter  (Fig.  1).  Cut  other  pieces  of  blotting  paper  the 
same  size  with  no  perforations.  These  are  to  be  used  as  bases  under  the 
perforated  blotters  to  conduct  and  store  moisture. 

Moisten  the  blotter  and  base  and  place  a  seed  in  each  perforation.  Two 
of  these  perforated  blotters  should  be  used  for  each  sample  of  seed,  i.e.,  make 
each  test  in  dupUcate. 

3.  Place  each  perforated  blotter  and  base  on  a  piece  of  glass  and  cover 
with  a  large  drinking  glass.  By  this  method  the  students  can  better  keep 
watch  of  the  test.  The  blotter  may  be  placed  between  two  pie  tins  the  lower 
of  which  may  contain  wet  sawdust. 

4.  The  proper  temperature  is  50-80°  F.  The  seeds  may  be  taken  from 
the  blotter  as  they  germinate  or  a  count  may  be  made  about  6  to  7  days 
from  the  start  of  the  test. 

5.  Find  the  germination  percentage  and  average  the  counts  of  the  dupli- 
cate tests.  In  testing  clovers  and  vetch  count  one-half  of  the  hard  seeds  as 
germinating.  If  grass  seed  tests  poorly  it  is  well  to  give  it  a  second  test  before 
passing  judgement. 

6.  Write  the  counts  into  the  Record. 

Germination  Record 


Test  1 

Test  2 

Average 

Percentage  of  germinable  seeds 





Percentage  of  non-germinable  seeds .... 

100 

100 

100 

71 


Grade. 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  24 
GRASS  MIXTURES 

Object. — First,  to  learn  common  meadow  and  pasture  mixtures  and 
second,  to  review  identification  of  grass  and  clover  seeds. 

Directions. — The  six  numbered  bottles  are  meadow  and  pasture  mixtures 
given  in  Productive  Farm  Crops,  Chapter  XXXV.  (a)  Identify  contents  of 
mixtures  and  record  in  the  second  column.  (6)  Looking  in  the  text,  decide 
which  each  mixture  is  and  fill  out  the  remainder  of  the  table.  The  last  column 
will  be  a  correction  of  the  second,  and  in  addition  the  amount  per  acre  of  each 
grass  or  clover  will  be  given. 


Mixture 
number 

Ingredients 

Pasture  or 
meadow 

Conditions 

Mixture  and 
amounts 

- 

' 

' 

72 


Grade. 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  25 

STUDY  OF  POTATO 

Object. — To  study  the  morphology  and  composition  of  the  potato  tuber. 

Explanation. — The  potato  tuber  is  part  of  the  system  of  lateral  under- 
ground stems,  and  corresponds  largely  in  its  morphology  to  aerial  stems. 
It  serves  as  a  storage  part  to  the  underground  stem  and  enables  the  plant 
to  live  over  from  one  year  to  another. 

Part  I. — (a)  Draw  a  tuber  natural  size  showing  the  correct  arrangement 
of  eyes.  Label  stem  end,  bud  end,  eyes,  and  eyebrows.  (6)  Show  on  your 
drawing  by  dotted  lines  how  the  tuber  should  be  cut  for  seed  purposes. 

Part  II. — (a)  Make  with  a  sharp  knife  a  thin  longitudinal  and  a  thin 
transverse  section  of  a  tuber  cutting  through  one  or  more  eyes  in  each  case. 
Rinse  in  water  and  examine.  (6)  Draw  natural  size  in  both  longitudinal  and 
transverse  section  a  tuber  showing  in  proper  proportion:  (1)  internal  medul- 
lary area;  (2)  external  medullary  area;  (3)  cortex;  (4)  epidermis. 

Part  III. — (a)  Treat  the  thin  longitudinal  section  with  dilute  iodine, 
rinse  in  water  in  a  pie  tin  and  observe  the  portion  of  greatest  starch  concentra- 
tion.   Indicate  concentrations  by  labeling  the  drawing  in  Part  II. 

Reference. — Montgomery,  E.  G.,  Productive  Farm  Crops  (Lippincott), 
Chap.  XXX. 


73 


Exercise  25  (Continued) 


LABELS 


74 


Grade. 
Date. . 


Fig.  39. — Product  of  a  single  tuber  cut  in  four  pieces, 
each  piece  planted  in  a  hill.  Yielded  at  the  rate  of  163  bu. 
per  acre. 


EXERCISE  26 

SELECTING  SEED  POTATOES 

Object.  —  To  harvest  seed 
potatoes  by  the  hill  selection 
method. 

Explanation. — The  value  of 
seed  potatoes  depends  on  the 
performance  of  the  parent  tuber. 
Therefore  we  must  make  certain 
that  our  seed  comes  from  good 
hills  (Figs.  39  and  40). 

Directions.  —  The  exercise 
should  be  given  in  a  potato 
field.  Let  each  student  choose 
a  group  of  ten  consecutive  hills. 

Step  1.  —  Score  the  vigor 
and  growth  habit  of  the  plant. 
The  haulms  should  be  stocky. 
Short  haulmed,  upright,  heavy 
leafed  tops  are  not  as  susceptible 
to  disease  as  the  prostrate  types. 
The  prostrate  types,  however, 
prevent  evaporation  of  moisture 
more  than  the  upright  types. 
Early  potatoes  grow  upright. 
Your  scoring  will  depend  on 
whether  disease  resistance  or 
moisture  conservation  is  more 
important  in  your  locality. 
Score  the  best  plant  20  points 
and  the  others  accordingly. 

Step  2. — Dig  the  hills  and  weigh  separately  the  marketable  tubers  in 
each  hill.    Score  the  best  yielding  hill  50  points  and  the  others  accordingly. 

Step  3. — Inspect  each  hill  for  variety  characters,  as  color,  shape  and  eyes. 
If  preferred,  score  for  conformity  to  market  demand.  Such  tubers  are  round, 
flat,  or  oval  flat  with  few  and  shallow  eyes.  Score  the  best  hill  15  points  and 
the  others  accordingly. 

75 


Fig.  40. — Product  of  a  tuber  which  yielded  at  the 
rate  of  96  bu.  per  acre.  From  field  of  H.  B.  Sweet,  Utica, 
N.  Y.     (Schoharie  Co.,  N.  Y.  Farm  Bureau  News.) 


Exercise  26     (Continued) 

Step  4. — Examine  tubers  in  each  hill  for  blemishes  and  diseases,  especially 

scab  and  rhizoctonia.  Score  the  best  hill  15  points  and  the  others  in  proportion. 

Step  5. — Add  scores.    Show  the  instructor  how  you  have  placed  the  hills. 


Number  of  Hill 

Points 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

Yield  of  marketable  potatoes 

50 

Vigor  and  growth  habit  of 
plant 

20 

Variety  characters 

15 

Blemishes  and  diseases 

15 
100 

Reference.— Gilbert,  A.  W.,  1917,  The  Potato  (Macmillan)  47-76. 


76 


Grade. 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  27 

POTATO  TYPES  AND  VARIETIES 

Object. — To  become  familiar  with  varieties  and  variety  groups  of  potatoes. 

Explanation. — Stuart  divides  potato  varieties  into  eleven  principal 
groups.  The  same  classification  is  given  in  Productive  Farm  Crops,  Chap- 
ter XXX. 

Directions. — The  class  should  have  available  varieties  belonging  to  at 
least  six  of  the  more  important  groups  in  the  locality  of  the  school.  Describe 
each  variety  according  to  the  outline.  If  it  is  not  known  to  which  group  a 
variety  belongs,  see  Stuart's  description  of  that  variety.  For  the  color  of 
sprouts  see  same  source,  pages  4-5.  To  describe  varieties  use  the  terms 
given  in  Productive  Farm  Crops,  end  of  Chapter  XXXI. 


Name  of  Variety 

Group 

Shape                 Size 

Eyes 

Sprouts 

Skin 

1 
1 

I 

I 
1 

! 

! 

• 

Draw  the  long  broadside  view,  natural  size,  of  specimens  of  the  four  most 
important  groups  in  your  locality,  paying  special  attention  to  size  and  shape 
of  tuber;  size,  shape  and  distribution  of  eyes.  Label  parts  carefully  in  the 
right  hand  margin. 

Transverse  Sections. — Examine  transverse  sections  of  a  tuber  belonging 
to  each  group,  paying  special  attention  to  relative  proportion  of  cortex, 
'  .77 


Exercise  27      (Continued) 

internal  and  external  medullary  areas.     Rank  these,  sections  as  to  quality, 
indicated  by  a  smaller  inner  medullary  area. 


1. 
2. 
3. 


7. 
8. 
9. 


Identification.  —  Identify    the    following    numbered    specimens    as    to 
variety  group. 

5.  9. 


6. 

7. 
8. 


10. 
11. 
12. 


References. — Stuart,  Wm.,  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture, 
Bulletin  176.  Montgomery,  E.  G.,  1916,  Productive  Farm  Crops  (Lippin- 
cott).  Chap.  XXX. 


LABELS 


78 


Exercise  27   (Continued) 


LABELS 


79 


Exercise  27   (Continued) 


LABELS 


r80 


Grade. 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  28 

POTATO  JUDGING 

Object. — To  learn  how  to  judge  potatoes. 

Material. — Two  common  potato  varieties,  five  plates  of  each,  five 
potatoes  on  a  plate.    Number  the  ten  plates  consecutively. 

Step  1. — See  explanation  of  the  score  card.  Examine  all  the  ten  plates. 
Fill  in  the  following  blanks. 


Most  uniform , 

Least  uniform 

Least  blemishes  and  disease 
Most  blemishes  and  disease . 

Best  variety  shape 

Best  market  shape 

Best  size 


Plate  No.  Plate  No. 

Best  quality  of  flesh 

Poorest  quality  of  flesh _, ^^ 

Least  depth  and  frequency  of  eyes  

Greatest  depth   and  frequency  of 

eyes 

Best  color  and  skin  texture 

Poorest  color  and  skin  texture  ....  


Step  2 — Score  all  plates  and  place 

ther 

n  within 

each  variety. 

Number  of  plate 

Points 

Uniformity 

20 

Blemishes  and  disease 

20 

Shape    . 

15 

Size 

15 

Quality  of  flesh 

10 

Depth  and  frequency  of  eyes .  . 

10 

Color  and  texture  of  skin 

10 

Total.  .             .... 

100 

Explanation  of  Score  Card. — Uniformity. — The  tubers  should  be  the 
same  size,  shape,  color  and  texture  of  skin,  depth  and  frequency  of  eyes  on 
any  one  plate. 

81 


Exercise  28      (Continued) 

Blemishes  and  Disease. — Should  be  no  evidence  of  blight,  rot,  grubs, 
scab,  rhizoctonia,  sunburn  or  injury  from  rough  handling. 

Shape. — Should  be  typical  of  the  variety.  Market  demands  a  moderately 
oval  flat  or  round  flat  shape. 

Size. — Should  be  typical  of  the  variety.  Market  demands  a  medium 
sized  potato,  about  8  ounces. 

Quality  of  Flesh — Should  be  typical  of  the  variety.  Market  requires 
a  fine  textured  flesh  of  light  color,  free  from  excess  moisture,  and  from  hollow 
or  dark  spots. 

Depth  and  Frequency  of  Eyes. — Should  be  typical  of  the  variety.  Market 
demands  few  and  shallow  eyes. 

Color  and  Texture  of  Skin. — Should  be  typical  of  the  variety.  Market 
demands  a  thin  smooth  skin.  White  skinned  varieties  are  preferable  in 
most  markets. 

Reference.— Gilbert,  A.  W.,  1917,  The  Potato  (Macmillan),  48-54. 


82 


Grade. 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  29 

TYPES  OF  TOBACCO 

Object. — To  learn  the  important  types  of  tobacco. 
Material. — Leaves  of  the  following  types: 

Cigar  Tobacco: 

(a)  Broadleaf  or  seedleaf  type. 
(6)  Havana  seed  type, 
(c)   Cuban  type. 

Manufacturing  Tobacco: 

(a)  Plug  (dark  heavy  type). 

(6)  Smoking  (light  colored  type). 

(c)   Plug  and  smoking  (as  White  Burley). 

Directions. — Describe  the  types,  using  the  following  descriptive  terms 
and  outline. 

A.  Economic: 

1.  Grown  where? 

2.  Use:  Wrapper,  binder,  filler,  plug,  smoking,  plug  and  smoking. 

B.  Leaf: 

3.  Thickness:  Thin,  medium,  thick. 

4.  Color:   Dark,  medium,  light. 

C.  Curing: 

5.  Method:   Air,  open  fire,  flue. 

References. — Duggar,  J.  F.,  1918,  Southern  Field  Crops  (Macmillan), 
Chap.  XXX.  Montgomery,  E.  G.,  Productive  Farm  Crops  (Lippincott), 
Chap.  XLV. 


83 


Exercise  29      (Continued) 

Outline  for  Describing  Tobacco 


Variety       

1 

TvDe 

Economic: 

1.  Grown  where. 

2.  Use 

Leaf: 

3.  Thickness 

4.  Color 

Curing: 

5.  Method 

Other  characters . . . 

Identify  numbered  but  unlabeled  leaves,  placing  them  in  the  proper  type. 

Variety 


Type 


2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 

10. 

84 


Grade. 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  30 

TOBACCO  SURVEY 

Object. — To  study  tobacco  growing  by  the  survey  method. 
Directions. — Each  student  should  obtain  from  a  tobacco  grower  answers 
to  the  following  questions  in  regard  to  the  last  crop  grown. 


1.  How  many  acres  did  you  grow? 

2.  What  was  your  total  yield   in 
pounds? 

3.  What  variety  of  tobacco  did  you 
raise? 

4.  For  what  was  it  used? 

5.  Of  what  texture  is  your  soil? 

6.  What  is  your  rotation? 

7.  What  kind  of  fertilizer  did  you  use? 

8.  How  much  fertihzer  per  acre? 

9.  Where  did  you  obtain  your  seed? 

10.  What  was  your  rate  of  seeding 
per  100  square  feet? 

11.  At  what  date  did  you  start  your 
plant  bed? 

12.  How  did  you  fertihze  it? 

13.  Did  you  steriHze  it? 

14.  Did  you  cover  your  plant  bed 
with  cloth  or  other  material? 

15.  At  what  date  did  you  plow  your 
main  tobacco  field? 

16.  How  many  times  did  you  harrow? 

17.  At  what  date  did  you  set  your 

plants? 


18.  Did  you  transplant  by  hand  or 
by  machine? 


85 


Exercise  30      (Continued) 


19.  How  wide  were  your  rows? 

20.  How  far  apart  were  the  plants  in 
the  row? 

21.  How  many  times  did  you  culti- 
vate? 

22.  At    what    stage    of    the    plant's 
growth  did  you  practice  topping? 

23.  How  many  leaves  did  you  retain? 

24.  Did  you  sucker  your  plants? 

25.  Did  you  harvest  by  priming  or  by 
cutting  the  whole  stalk? 

26.  How  did  you  cure  the  crop? 

Summary  of  the  Questions. — The  class  should  put  their  results  together 
in  the  form  of  a  summary. 

In  summarizing  questions  concerning  acreages  and  yields  give  the  totals 
for  all  growers  and  find  average  acreage  and  yield. 

In  summarizing  questions  concerning  dates,  fertilizer  per  acre,  rate  of 
seeding,  times  harrowed,  thickness  of  transplanting,  times  cultivated,  and 
number  of  leaves  retained,  give  highest  and  lowest  figures  and  earliest  and 
latest  dates  and  in  addition  quote  the  figures  and  dates  given  by  a  majority 
of  the  growers,  if  possible. 

In  summarizing  all  other  questions  quote  answer  given  by  a  majority 
of  the  growers. 

Outline  for  Summary 


1.  Acreage. 

2.  Yield. 

3.  Variety. 

4.  Use. 

5.  Texture  of  soil. 

6.  Rotation 

86 


Exercise  30     (Continued) 

Outline  for  Summary  (Continued) 


21.  Times  cultivated. 


7.  Kind  of  fertilizer. 

« 

8.  Amount  of  fertilizer. 

9.  Source  of  seed. 

10.  Rate  of  seeding. 

11.  Date  of  starting  plant  bed. 

12.  Method  of  fertilizing. 

13.  Sterilization. 

14.  Covering  plant  bed. 

15.  Date  of  plowing. 

16.  Times  harrowed. 

17.  Date  of  setting  plants. 

18.  Method  of  transplanting. 

19.  Width  of  rows. 

20.  Distance  in  row. 

22.  Topping  stage. 

23.  Number  leaves  retained. 

24.  Suckering. 

25.  Method  of  harvesting. 

26.  Method  of  curing. 

Make  a  special  study  of  the  methods  of  the  growers  who  obtained  the  best 
yields  and  try  to  find  reasons. 

References. — Montgomery,  E.  G.  Productive  Farm  Crops  (Lippincott), 
Chap.  XLV.  Duggar,  J.  F.,  1918,  Southern  Field  Crops  (Macmillan), 
Chap.  XXX. 

87 


Grade. 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  31 

THE  COTTON  PLANT 

Object. — To  study  the  structure  of  the  cotton  plant. 

Material. — Cotton  plants. 

Directions. — 1.  Root. — (a)  Examine  the  root.  What  kind  of  a  root  is  it 
according  to  Exercise  5?   

2.  Stem. — (a)  Drawing  No.  1.  A  node  of  the  cotton  plant  showing  a 
fruiting  and  an  undeveloped  sterile  branch. 

(6)  Examine  a  short  jointed  plant.  What  is  the  average  length  of  the 
three  lowest  internodes?    inches. 


Fig.  41. — A  cotton  boll  and  how  it  develops.  A,  the  unopened  boll;  B,  boll  partly  opened;  C,  boll 
fully  opened  showing  locks  of  fibre;  D,  the  empty  pod  after  the  lock  cotton  has  been  gathered.  (Produc- 
tive Farm  Crops.) 

Examine  a  long  jointed  plant.    What  is  the  average  length  of  the  three 
lowest  internodes? inches. 

3.  Leaf. — (a)  Drawing  No.  2.    A  leaf,  showing  shape  of  lobes  and  veins. 

4.  Boll. — (a)  Drawing  No.  3  (Fig.  41).     A  storm  resistant  boll  and  a 
non-resistant  boll.    Label  carefully  showing  the  differences. 

(6)  Label  the  locks  in  Drawing  No.  3. 

5.  Fiber. — (a)  Examine  ripe  and  unripe  fibers  under  the  microscope. 
Note  the  flattened  twisted  form  of  the  ripe  fibers. 

Drawing  No.  4.    Ripe  and  unripe  fibers.    Draw  large. 
(6)  Examine  bolls  of  a  long  and  a  short  staple  variety. 
88 


Exercise  31      (Continued) 


Average  length  of  long  staples  in  inches. 
Average  length  of  short  staples  in  inches. 
Which  has  the  stronger  fiber?    


6.  Seed. — (a)  Split  a  cotton  seed.     Drawing  No.  5,  draw  seed;  label 
all  parts. 

Reference. — Duggar,  J.  F.,  1918,  Southern  Field  Crops  (Macmillan), 
Chap.  XIV. 


LABELS 


89 


Exercise  31  (Continued) 


LABELS 


90 


Grade. 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  32 


TYPES  OF  COTTON 

Object. — To  study  varieties  representing  different  types  of  cotton. 

Material. — Plants  representing  as  many  of  the  following  types  as  possible. 
Group  1.  Cluster  type. 
Group  2.  Semicluster  type. 
Group  3.  Rio  Grande  type.    Example,  Peterkin. 
Group  4.  Early  varieties  of  the  King  type. 
Group  5.  Big  boll  type. 
Group  6.  Long  limbed  type. 
Group  7.  Intermediate  varieties. 
Group  8.  Long  stapled  upland  varieties. 

Directions. — Describe  each  plant  using  the  following  descriptive  terms. 

Terms  for  Describing  Cotton. — ^A.  Plant. — 1.    Shape  :     Cone   shaped, 
sugar  loaf  shaped,  slender,  with  long  basal  limbs. 

2.  Size:  Small  (less  than  3  feet),  medium  (3-5  feet),  large  (5  feet  or  more). 

3.  Internodes:   Short,  medium,  long. 

B.  Bolls. — 4.  Shape:   Slender,  medium,  rounded. 

5.  Size:   Small,  medium,  large. 

6.  Arrangement:   Clustered,  semiclustered,  separate. 

C.  Fiber.— 7.  Length:    Short  04-lH  inches),  long  (lM-1%  inches). 

D.  Seed.—S.  Color. 

9.  Pubescence:   Hairy,  mixed,  smooth. 

E.  Leaf. — 10.  Size:   Small,  medium,  large. 

11.  Shape  of  lobe:   Short,  broad,  medium,  long  pointed. 

F.  Maturity. — 12.  Season:   Early,  medium,  late. 

G.  Other  Characters. 


Outline  for  Describing  Cotton 

Variety  and  Type 

A.  Plant: 

1.  Shape 

2    Size     .... 

3.  Internodes  . 

91 


Exercise  32     (Continued) 


B.  Bolls: 

4.  Shape 

5.  Size  



6.  Arrangement. 

C.  Fiber: 

7.  Length 

D.  Seed: 

8.  Color 

9.  Pubescence  .  . 

E.  Leaf: 

10.  Size 

11.  Shape  of  lobe 

F.  Maturity: 

12.  Season 

G.  Other  characters . 

Discussion. — ^Bring  out  the  differences  between  these  varieties  and 
identify  unlabeled  specimens. 

References. — Duggar,  J.  F.,  1918,  Southern  Field  Crops  (Macmillan), 
Chapters  XVI  and  XVII. 


92 


Grade. 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  33 
SEED  BEANS 

Object. — To  study  the  selection  of  seed  beans. 

Directions. — The  class  should  either  visit  a  bean  field  just  before  harvest 
to  select  bean  plants  or  the  plants  may  be  selected  by  the  instructor  and 
stored  for  later  use  in  the  laboratory.  Each  student  should  select  ten  plants 
and  number  each  plant.  Plants  should  be  primarily  selected  for  (1)  high 
yield,  also  for  (2)  freedom  from  disease,  and  (3)  early  maturity.  Of  the 
ten  plants,  select  two  which  are  about  average  for  the  field.  Record  data, 
and  plot  the  yields  below. 


Number  of  Plant 

Number  of  Pods 

Weight  of  Shelled  Beans  in  Grams 

i 

Numbers  of  Plants 

eS 

^ 
T3 

s 

?! 

O 

a 

& 

93 


Grade. 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  34 

TYPES  OF  BEANS 

Object. — To  learn  the  types  of  field  beans. 

Materials. — Samples  representing  each  of  the  following  types  of  field 
beans,  kidney,  marrow,  medium  and  pea. 

Directions. — Draw  each  type  (enlarged  X  3),  showing  very  carefully  the 
relative  sizes  and  shapes. 

By  means  of  class  discussion  compare  these  types  as  to  (1)  yield  in  your 
locaHty,  (2)  soil  fertility  required,  (3)  disease  susceptibility,  (4)  market  price. 

Reference. — Sevey,  G.  C,  Bean  Culture  (Orange  Judd). 

LABELS 


94 


Grade. 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  35 
WEEDS 

Object. — To  become  familiar  with  the  weeds  in  vicinity  of  the  school, 
and  their  control. 

Material. — Each  member  of  the  class  should  be  required  to  collect  ten 
weeds  before  this  exercise  is  given  (Fig.  42) .  Each  specimen  should  include 
the  root,  stem,  leaves  and  either  the  flower  or  seeds  or  both.  By  mounting 
the  best  of  these  specimens  the  school  may  obtain  a  valuable  collection. 
This  collection  may  be  supplemented  by  conducting  a  field  trip  for  the  pur- 
pose of  identifying  and  collecting  weeds.    Save  the  weed  seeds  for  later  use. 

Directions — Each  student  should  describe  each  of  his  ten  weeds  accord- 
ing to  the  following  outline.  After  describing  his  own  he  should  describe 
weeds  collected  by  other  students.  Thus  each  student  may  make  a  fairly 
complete  inventory  of  the  weeds  in  the  locality  of  the  school. 


FiQ.  42. — Some  comiuon  weeds.    Left  to  right:  Jimson,  ragweed,  lamb's  quarter,  jointweed,  rough  pigweed. 

The  Weed  Club. — A  weed  club  has  been  successful  in  some  schools. 
The  object  of  such  a  club  is  to  rid  a  locality  of  weeds.  Each  member  of  the 
club  chooses  an  important  weed  and  agrees  to  destroy  a  certain  number  each 
day  of  the  growing  season.  The  club  may  also  spread  control  information 
and  may  add  to  the  school  weed  collection. 

Weed  Contest. — The  object  of  a  weed  contest  is  to  determine  how  many 
students  can  identify  unlabeled  seed  mounts  in  the  school  collection. 

References. — Georgia,  A.  E.,  1914,  Manual  of  Weeds  (Macmillan). 
Pammel,  L.  H.,  Weeds  of  the  Farm  and  Garden  (Orange  Judd).  Percival,  J., 
1915,  Agricultural  Botany  (Holt). 

95 


1 

o 

, 

""Oh 

1 
s 

1 

Place  of  Growth 

(Meadow,  Pasture, 

Garden,  Lawn, 

Etc.) 

h 

iP 

Q 

1i 

Common 
Name 

96 


Grade. 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  36 


WEED  SEEDS 


Object. — To  identify  some  important  weed  seeds  (Fig.  43) . 

Material. — About  twenty  (or  more  if  time  is  available)  important  weed 
seeds.  Part  of  these  should  be  chosen  because  of  their  prevalence  in  the 
locality  and  part  of  them  because  of  their  prevalence  in  commercial  seed. 


§ 


\a     ^ 


t  ^ 


"9       z 


Fig.  43. — Mixture  of  weed  seeds  commonly  found  in  low  grade  alsike  clover  seed:  o,  alsike  clover; 
b,  white  clover;  c,  red  clover;  d,  yellow  trefoil;  e,  Canada  thistle;  /,  dock;  g,  sorrell;  h,  buckhorn;  i,  rat-tail 
plantain;  k,  lamb's  quarter;  I,  shepherd's  purse;  m,  mayweed;  n,  scentless  camomile;  o,  white  campion; 
p,  night-flowering  catchfly;  q,  oxeye  daisy;  r,  small  fruited  false  flax;  s,  cinquefoil;  t,  two  kinds  of  pepper- 
grass;  u,  catmint;  v,  timothy;  x,  chickweed;  y,  Canada  blue  grass;  z,  clover  dodder;  1,  mouse-ear  chickweed; 
2,  knot  grass;  ?,  tumbling  amaranth;  4,  rough  amaranth;  6,  heal  all;  6,  lady's  thumb.    Enlarged  (U.  S.  D.  A.) 

Drawings. — Draw  each  seed  under  the  low  power  microscope  and  make 
each  drawing  one  inch  the  longest  way.  This  rule  will  overcome  the  tendency 
of  many  students  to  draw  seeds  natural  size.  If  it  is  desired  to  indicate 
relative  size  of  the  seeds,  the  class  may  number  the  largest  seed  No.  1,  the 
second  largest  No.  2,  etc.  Weed  seed  holders  as  shown  in  figure  37 
are  convenient. 

Identification. — Examine  numbered  but  unlabeled  mixtures  of  the  weed 
seeds  drawn  above.    Each  mixture  should  contain  three  or  four  kinds  of  seeds. 


97 


Exercise  36      (Continued) 


Student's  Identification 

Corrected  Identification 

Mixture  No.  1 

Mixture  No.  2 

Mixture  No.  3 

Mixture  No.  4 

Mixture  No.  5 

Mixture  No.  6 

Mixture  No.  7 . . .         

Mixture  No.  8 

Mixture  No.  9 

Mixture  No.  10 

Students  should  examine  again  the  mixtures  which  they  have  written 
incorrectly. 

References. — The  Seed  of  Red  Clover  and  Its  Impurities,  U.  S.  D.  A., 
Farmers'  Bui.  260.  Testing  Farm  Seeds  in  the  Home  and  Rural  School, 
U.  S.  D.  A.,  Farmers'  Bui.  428. 


98 


Exercise  36  (Continued) 


LABELS 


99 


Exercise  36  (Continued) 


LABELS 


100 


Grade. 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  37 

Object. — To  learn  to  identify  some  of  the  seeds  of  crops  which  have  not 
been  studied  and  to  review  these  and  all  other  seeds  studied  to  date  by  means 
of  an  identification  contest. 

MsLterial,— Group  1.— Seed  samples  of  rye,  silver  hull  buckwheat,  Japan- 
ese buckwheat,  flax,  sorghum  (Kafir,  Durra  and  broom  corn  types)  millet 
(common,  barnyard,  broom  corn  and  pearl  types),  cowpeas,  soybeans,  field 
peas,  winter  and  spring  vetch  (Fig.  44). 


Fig.  44. — School    set  of  one   hundred    economic   seeds    supplied   by    the  United    States    Department    of 
Agriculture,  for  cost  of  case,  bottles,  corks  and  labels.     (Productive  Plant  Husbandry.) 

Group  2, — Samples  of  all  the  seeds  which  have  been  studied  to  date. 

Directions. — Part  /.-—Draw  the  seeds  in  Group  1  and  compare  them 
with  similar  seeds  with  a  view  to  future  identification.  Make  drawings  one 
inch  the  longest  way. 

Part  II. — Identification  Contest. — Place  numbered  vials  of  the  seeds  of 
Groups  1  and  2  before  the  class.  The  object  of  the  contest  is  to  identify 
correctly  the  largest  number  of  seeds. 


Number  of  Vial 

Name  of  Seed 

Corrected  Name 

1 
i 

1 

101 


Exercise  37     (Continued) 

Numbers  of  Vial 

Name  of  Seed 

Corrected  Name 

102 


Grade. 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  38 
ROTATION  OF  CROPS 

Object. — To  learn  the  principles  underlying  the  rotation  of  crops. 
Part  I. — To  Diagram  a  Rotation. — The  squares  represent  fields,  and 
the  figures  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  the  successive  years.    A  new  cycle  begins  the  5th  year. 


(a)  20  Acres 

1  Corn 

2  Oats 

3  Meadow 

4  Pasture 

(b)  20  Acres 

1  Oats 

2  Meadow 

3  Pasture 

4  Corn 

(c)  20  Acres 

1  Meadow 

2  Pasture 

3  Corn 

4  Oats 

(d)  20  Acres 

1  Pasture 

2  Corn 

3  Oats 

4  Meadow 

5  Corn 

5  Oats 

5  Meadow 

5  Pasture 

Diagram  a  common  rotation  in  your  locality.     You  should  make  as 
many  squares  as  there  are  fields  or  years  in  a  cycle  of  the  rotation. 


Part  n. — To  Fertilize   a  Rotation. — Answer  the  following  questions. 
They  should  be  approved  before  being  copied  into  this  page. 

1.  Where  would  commercial  fertilizer  be  applied  in  the  above  rotation? 


2.  Where  should  manure  be  applied? 


3.  What  plant  material  such  as  stubble,  sod  or  green  manure  crops  may 
be  plowed  under? 


103 


Exercise  38      (Continued) 


Part  III. — To  Criticise  a  Rotation. — The  following  are  eight  requirements 
of  a  good  rotation.  State  opposite  each  requirement  how  your  rotation  meets  it. 

1.  Plant  Food. — The  crops  in  a  rota- 

tion should  have  different  plant 
food  requirements. 

2.  Roots. — A  rotation  should  include 

deep  rooted  and  shallow  rooted 
crops.  The  roots  of  certain  crops 
such  as  grass,  millet,  buckwheat 
and  barley,  have  a  beneficial 
effect  on  the  structure,  espe- 
cially of  heavy  soils. 

3.  Organic   Matter. — Sods,    stubbles, 

or  green  manure  crops  should  be 
plowed  under;  or  all  of  these. 

4.  Legumes. — Nitrogen  from  the  air 

is  obtained  by  these  plants.  A 
rotation  should  include  one  or 
more  of  them. 

5.  Weeds. — Rotation  should  control 

weeds  usually  by  means  of  cul- 
tivated crops. 

6.  Unoccupied    Land. — The    ground 

should  not  be  left  bare  during 
part  of  the  year  so  that  the 
soil  may  wash  or  the  weeds  get 
a  foothold. 

7.  Diseases  and  Insects. — A  rotation 

should  be  able  or  adjustable  to 
control  diseases,  as  potato  scab, 
which  live  over  in  the  soil  and 
insects  like  th^  wireworm,  which 
thrives  in  sod  left  down  too  long. 

8.  Labor  Distribution. — A  good  rota- 

tion    should    distribute     work 
as   evenly  as  possible   through 
the  season. 
104 


n^MiK  ji&ilUji:-!Z  ^il 


aJDV   i^'J^fiOii 


Exercise  38      (Continued) 

Part  IV. — ^To  Name  and  Discuss  Common  Local  Rotations. — The  class 
should  name  at  least  three  rotations  common  locally  and  discuss  according 
to  the  requirements  named  in  Part  III. 

1. 


3. 


References. — Rotation  of  Farm  Crops.     Cornell  University,  Reading 
Course  BuL,  24.   Lyon,  T.  L.,  1917,  Soils  and  Fertilizers (Macmillan),  242-247. 


105 


Grade. 
Date. . 


EXERCISE  39 

BIBLIOGRAPHY 

Objects. — 1.  To  learn  to  make  a  bibliography. 

2.  To  become  acquainted  with  literature  of  farm  crops. 

Directions. — The  instructor  should  submit  to  the  class  a  list  of  subjects 
dealing  with  farm  crops.  Each  student  should  choose  a  subject  and  break 
it  up  into  key  words.  For  example,  in  the  subject  potato  breeding  the  key 
words  are  potato  and  breeding.  Look  up  both  these  words  when  going 
through  an  index.  References  should  first  be  written  on  a  separate  sheet  of 
paper  and  copied  into  the  manual  when  approved  by  the  instructor. 

The  following  are  sources  to  examine.  Group  the  references  cited  under 
these  five  headings. 

1.  Textbooks  (including  encyclopedias). 
Example 


Author 

Chapter  Title 

Title  of  Book 
(Including  Volume) 

Pages 

Year 

Gilbert,   A.  W. 

Potato  Breeding 

The  Potato 

47-85 

1917 

2.  Government  Publications  (including  Yearbooks). 


Name  of  Series 

Number 

Pages 

Year 

Farmers'  Bulletin 
Yearbook 

464 

Entire 
221-238 

1911 
1913 

3.  State  Experiment  Station  publications. 

Example 


Name  of  Station 


Series 


Number 


Pages 


Year 


Michigan  Agr.  College       Extension  Series 

4.  Current  Literature. 
Example 

Author 


Entire 


Sanders,  J.  G. 

5.  Miscellaneous. 


Title  of  Article 


Potato  Wart  Dis- 
ease 


Publication 


Volume 


The  Potato 
Magazine 


Number 


1917 


Year 


1918 


Record  as  much  as  is  given  of  the  following  and  in  the  order  given. 
Author,  Title  of  Article,  Pubhsher,  Series,  Number,  Pages,  Year. 


Subject  Assigned. 
106 


Exercise  39     (^Continued) 
BIBLIOGRAPHY  (Continued) 


107 


HOME  PROJECTS  IN  FARM  CROPS 

A  home  project  in  farm  crops  conducted  by  a  student  of  high  school  grade 
consists  of  a  crop  enterprise  at  home  accompanied  by  class  and  individual 
instruction  relating  to  the  enterprise  both  of  which  are  under  the  supervision 
of  a  trained  instructor  in  agriculture. 

The  essentials  of  a  home  project  are  given  by  the  Federal  Board  for 
Vocational  Education  as  follows: 

''  1.  A  carefully  drawn  plan  covering  a  considerable  extent  of  time,  with 
a  definite  aim,  including  some  problems  new  to  the  pupil  and  outlining  with 
sufficient  detail  the  methods  to  be  employed.  This  plan  should  be  written 
and  should  be  an  exhibit  in  connection  with  the  second  essential. 

*'2.  An  agreement  between  parent,  pupil  and  teacher  based  upon  the 
plan  already  prepared  and  so  prepared  as  to  eliminate  later  disagreements. 
The  boy's  financial  privileges  should  be  clearly  stated. 

"3.  Instruction  in  the  school  both  in  regular  course  and  special  individual 
study  to  the  end  that  the  project  work  may  be  done  intelligently  and  that  the 
home  may  furnish  the  kind  of  laboratory  practice  best  adapted  to  the 
school  work.  - 

''4.  Detailed  records  of  method,  time,  cost,  income  and  other  important 
factors  to  be  summarized  in  — 

*'5.  A  report  including  both  a  story  and  a  complete  accounting  for  the 
entire  project  period. 

*'6.  Supervision  by  a  competent  instructor  of  such  a  nature  as  to  help 
the  student  to  succeed  in  his  project,  to  encourage  him  at  times  when  difficul- 
ties arise  and  to  hold  him  to  his  agreement;  incidentally  to  impart  instruction 
supplementing  that  of  the  class-room." 

For  further  information  concerning  home  projects  the  reader  is  referred 
to  Bulletin  21,  Agricultural  Series  No.  3  issued  by  the  Federal  Board  for 
Vocational  Education,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Use  the  records  and  report  blanks  adopted  by  your  state  educational 
authorities  in  charge  of  vocational  education. 


108 


Suggestions  on  Keeping  Project  Note  Books 

The  list  of  references  at  the  end  of  each  project  ctuthne  is  not  complete. 
The  student  should  add  any  material  pubhshed  by  his  state  agricultural 
college  and  experiment  station,  new  books,  agricultural  periodicals,  lectures, 
information  from  practical  growers  and  all  other  possible  sources.  Be  con- 
tinually on  the  lookout  for  further  references. 

Before  reading  references  the  student  should  decide  what  questions  need 
to  be  answered  by  his  reading  in  order  to  plan  his  project.  He  should  write 
out  these  questions  and  submit  them  to  the  instructor  for  suggestions 
and  approval. 

Having  answered  the  questions  in  written  form,  he  should  also  go  over 
these  with  the  instructor  and  then  copy  them  into  his  project  note  book. 
Give  the  reference  for  each  point  brought  out. 

This  project  note  book  should  be  of  permanent  value.  It  should  be 
well  organized  into  headings  and  sub-headings,  indexed  and  space  should  be 
left  after  each  subject  so  that  material  may  be  added  later.  Clippings  and 
photographs  may  well  be  added. 


109 


CROP  GROWING  PROJECTS 

1.  Growing  a  Field  6f  Com  for  Profit. 


Project  Work  Plan 

Study  Involved 

Select  a.  variety                     

Important  varieties  and  their  characters.      Home  grown  vs.   for- 

Select seed  ears  in  your  father's  or  a 

neighbor's  field 
Store  seed.                                    

eign  seed. 
Corn  improvement.     Qualities  of  best  plants  from  which  to  select 

ears.     Field  trip. 
Principles  of  seed  storage.     Devices  for  storing  seed  corn. 

Select  ground .         .               

Corn  soils.     Effect  of  poor  drainage  on  corn.     Signs  of  good  and 

poor  drainage.    Rotations  which  include  corn.     Nearness  to  other 
corn  fields. 

ment  of  plows.     Fall  vs.  spring  plowing.     Depth  of  plowing. 
The  sawdust  box  and  rag  doll  methods.     Signs  of  good  and  poor 
germination.     Effect  of  poor  ears  on  yield.     (Compute.) 

Select  fertilizer 

Plant    . 

their  effects. 

Planting  machinery.    Method,  time,  depth  and  rate.    Grading  seed. 

Methods  of  applying.     When  seeding  and  later. 

Cultivation  program.     Weeds  which  infest  corn.     Depth  and  fre- 
quency of  cultivation. 

Harvesting  machinery.     Handling  corn  fodder. 

Fertilizing              .... 

Cultivate       .                              ... 

Select  and  store  seed  as  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  project 
Harvest 

Husk    and    weigh    up    ears.      Select 

exhibit  ears  while  husking 
Sell  or  store  crop 

Corn  judging.                                                                          ^ 

Prevailing  prices  of  seed  corn.     Value  of  fodder.     Shrinkage  of  corn 

in  storage.     Grades  of  corn. 
Farm  accounts. 

Compute  costs  and  profit 

Summarize  project. 

Demonstrations  with  Projects  in  Com  Gorwing 

2.  Grow    several    promising    varieties    of    com    and    compare    them    as    to    yield 
and  maturity. 

3.  In  a  corn-growing  project  try,  on  several  rows  each,  a  different  fertilizer.    These 
may  vary  in  amomits  or  in  the  relative  amounts  of  nitrogen  or  phosphate,  or  potash. 

4.  Make  trials  in  like  manner  to  compare  the  results  with  and  without  barnyard 
manure  or  green  manure. 

References  on  Com  Growing 

Montgomery,  Productive  Farm  Crops  (Lippincott)  . 
Montgomery,  The  Corn  Crops  (Macmillan). 
Duggar,  Southern  Field  Crops  (Macmillan). 

Bowman  and  Crossley,  Corn.      (Published  by  authors,  Ames,  Iowa.) 
Holden  and  Waggoner,  Seed  Corn,  (International  Harvester  Co..  Chicago). 
Bussell,   Improving  the  Corn  Crop,  Cornell   Reading  Course  Leseon   129. 
Burlison  and  White,  Selection  and  Storage  of  Seed  Corn.     Illinois  Circular,  225. 


110 


5.  Growing  a  Field  of  Potatoes  for  Profit. 


Project  Work  Plan 

Select  ground 

Plow  (or  plowing  may  be  delayed  till 

spring) 
Select  variety 

Hill  select  seed  in  father's  or  niegh- 
bor's  field 

Store  seed 

Treat  seed 

Sprout  seed 

Fit  ground 

Select  fertilizer 

Cut  seed 

Put  in  25  tuber  units 

Plant  remainder  of  seed 

Cultivate 

Spray 

Hill  select  for  next  year.  Harvest. 
Weigh  up  units  and  save  the  bet- 
ter units 

Weigh  up  yield 

Grade 

Store  or  sell 

Compute  costs  and  profit 

Summarize  project. 


Study  Involved 


spring   plowing. 


Potato  soils.     Potato  rotations. 

Mechanics    and    adjustment   of   plows.      Fall 

Depth  of  plowing. 
Principal  variety  groups  and  their  importance.    Important  varieties 

in  your  locality.      Market  demand. 
Principles  of  hill  selection.     The  degeneration  of  varieties. 

Principles  of  potato  storage.     Types  of  storage. 

Scab,  rhizoctonia,  blackleg.    Corrosive  sublimate  treatment. 

Method  of  sprouting.     Greening  seed. 

Tilth  and  tillage.     The  fitting  program.    Tools  to  be  used  and  their 

effect  on  the  soil. 
Computing    fertilizers.      Potato    fertilizers.      Rate    of    fertilizing. 

Methods  of  applying  fertilizer.     Fertilizer  guarantees. 
Whole  vs.  cut  seed.    IVIethod  and  time  of  cutting.    Size  of  seed  piece. 
Principles  of  the  tuber  unit  method.     Potato  improvement. 
Planting  machinery.     Rate,  depth  and  time  of  planting.     Hill  vs. 

drill  planting.     Level  or  ridged  cultivation. 
Cultivation  program.     Tools  for  cultivation. 
Important  potato  diseases  and  insects.     Spray  materials.     Spraying 

machinery.     Spraying  program. 
Harvesting  machinery. 


Average  and  maximum  yields  in  other  states  and  other  countries. 
Potato  graders.    Cost  and  returns  from  grading.   Grades  of  potatoes. 
Prevailing  prices  of  seed  stock.     Other  prices.    Losses  in  storage. 
Farm  accounts.     Cost  of  growing  potatoes. 


Demonstrations  with  Projects  in  Potato  Growing 

6.  Compare  the  dusting  methods  with  spraying  to  fight  potato  beetles.  Leave  a  row 
untreated  as  a  check. 

7.  Compare  yields  from  selected  and  unselected  seed;  or  from  small  and  large  pieces 
with  two  eyes  each;  or  from  lots  grow  from  lots  of  one-eye,  two-eye,  and  many-eye  pieces. 

8.  Compare  results  from  different  kinds  and  amounts  of  fertihzers. 

9.  Compare  results  with  different  methods  of  tillage,  as  extreme  ridging  with  rather 
level  culture. 

References  on  Potato  Growing 

Montgomery,  Productive  Farm  Crops  (Lippincott). 

Gilbert,  The  Potato  (Macmillan). 

Fraser,  The  Potato  (Orange  Judd). 

Classification  of  Varieties,  U.  S.  D.  A.  Bulletin,  176.  Potato  Breeding  and  Selection,  U.  S.  D.  A. 
Bulletin,  195.  Potato  Storage  and  Storage  Houses,  Farmers'  Bulletin,  847.  Good  Seed  Potatoes  and 
How  to  Produce  Them,  Farmers'  Bulletin,  533.  How  to  Increase  the  Potato  Crop  by  Spraying,  Farmers' 
Bulletin,  868.    Commercial  Handling,  Grading  and  Marketing  Of  Potatoes,  Farmers'  Bulletin,  753. 


Ill 


10.  Growing  a  Field  of  Seed  Oats  for  Profit. 


Project  Work  Plan 

Select  ground 

Select  variety , 

Select  and  test  seed  for  germination 

and  purity 
Select  fertilizer  or  manure 

Plow 

Fit  ground 

Treat  seed 

Drill 

Prevent  harmful  weeds 

Certify  crop ".  .  . 

Harvest 

Thresh 

Weigh  up 

Market  or  store  crop 

Compute  costs  and  profit 

Summarize  project. 


Study  Involved 


Oat  soils.     Rotations  which  include  oats.     The  causes  of  lodging. 
Variety    groups    and    their   distinguishing    characters.      Important 

varieties  in  your  locality. 
Oat  judging.     Seed  analysis. 

Computing  fertilizers.    Fertilizers  for  oats.    Rate  of  fertilizing  oats. 

Use  of  manure  on  oats.      Fertilizer  guarantees. 
Mechanics  and  adjustment  of  plows.      Depth  of  plowing. 
Tilth  and  tillage.    The  fitting  program.    Tools  to  be  used  and  effects 

on  soil. 
Oat  smut.     Treatment. 

Grain  drills.  Rate,  time  and  depth  of  sowing. 
Weeds  infesting  oats.  Methods  of  eradicating. 
Rules  of  nearest  crop  inprovement  association. 
Harvesting   machinery.      Curing    oats.      Time   to   cut.      Avoiding 

mixture  with  other  oats  in  same  field. 
Avoiding  contamination  by  threshing  machine. 
Average  weights  elsewhere. 

Prevailing  prices  cf  seed  oats.     Storage  of  grain.     Advertising. 
Farm  accounts. 


Demonstrations  with  Projects  in  the  Growing  of  Small  Grains 

11.  Make  a  comparison  of  several  important  varieties  as  to  yield,  earliness,  weight 
per  bushel,  feeding  quahties,  etc. 

12.  Compare  results  under  different  rates  of  seeding. 

13.  Measure  yields  on  two  equal  arsas — one  fitted  with  special  care  and  the  other 
with  ordinary  care. 

Note. — Very  similar  projects  could  be  conducted  using  barley,  rye  or  wheat. 

References  an  Growing  Oats 

Montgomery,  Productive  Farm  Crops  (I^ippincott). 
Carleton,  The  Small  Grains  (Macmillan). 

Spring  Oat  Production,  Farmers'  Bulletin,  892.     A  Classification  of  the  Varieties  of  Cultivated 
Oats,  Cornell  Memoir  10.     Methods  of  Breeding  Oats,  Cornell  Reading  Course  44. 


112 


14-  Growing  a  Field  of  Alfalfa  for  Profit  and  for  Soil  Improvement. 


Project  Work  Plan 


Study  Involved 


Select  a  variety 

Buy  and  test  seed , 

Select  ground , 

Manure  and  plow 

Select  fertilizer  and  lime. . 

Fit  the  ground , 

Inoculate  the  seed 

Plant 

Care  for  the  crop , 

Harvest 

Weigh  up  yields. 

Dispose  of  crop 

Compute  costs  and  profit 
Summarize  project. 


Classification  of  alfalfa  varieties.      Varieties  used  locally. 

Sources  of  seed.     Seed  analysis.     Adulterations  and  impurities. 

Alfalfa  soil,  lime  requirements,  drainage,  texture.  Working  alfalfa 
into  rotations. 

Response  of  manure  to  alfalfa.     Rate  of  application. 

Fertilizer.     Kind,  rate  of  application  local  markets. 

Lime.  Response  of  alfalfa  to  lime,  kinds  of  lime,  rate,  method  and 
time  of  application. 

Relation  of  fertilizer  p.nd  lime  to  nurse  crops. 

The  fitting  program.  Tilth  and  tillage.  Importance  and  method  of 
cleaning  the  field  of  weed  seeds. 

Methods  of  inoculation  of  seed  and  field. 

Methods,  time  and  rate  of  sowing.  Nurse  crops  for  alfalfa.  Advis- 
ability, kinds,  management. 

Disease,  insect  and  other  pests.      Clipping.      Winter  care. 

The  time  of  cutting.  Methods  of  curing  and  handling.  Manage- 
ment in  mow  or  stack.  Pasturing  alfalfa.  Number  of  cuttings 
per  season.      Time  of  last  cutting. 


Uses  of  alfalfa. 
Farm  accounts. 


Food  value.     Markets  for  alfalfa.     Grades. 


Demonstrations  with  Projects  in  Alfalfa  Growing 

15.  Important  varieties  may  be  compared. 

16.  Make  a  comparison  of  results  on  limed  and  unlimed  portions  of  a  field. 

17.  Make  comparison  of  areas  sown  with  and  without  nurse  crops. 

18.  Compare  a  small  plot  on  the  field  not  inoculated  with  a  like  area  of  the  field  where 
inoculation  is  good. 

Note. — This  project  may  well  continue  three  or  four  years.  At  the  conclusion  the  field  will  com- 
monly be  capable  of  more  cuttings.  This  equity  and  the  increased  fertility  of  the  field  should  be  credited 
to  the  project. 

References  on  Alfalfa  Growing 

Montgomery,  Productive  Farm  Crops  (Lippincott).    . 

Wing,  Alfalfa  in  America  (Sanders  Pub.  Co.). 

Coburn,  Book  of  Alfalfa  (Orange  Judd) 

Piper,  Forage  Crops  (Macmillan) 

Graber,  Alfalfa  (Alfalfa  Order,  Madison,  Wisconsin). 

Farmers'  Bulletin  339,  .Alfalfa;  194,  Alfalfa  seed;  382,  Adulteration  of  forage  plant  seeds;  306, 
Dodder  in  relation  to  Farm  Seeds.  Studies  in  Alfalfa,  International  Harvester  Company,  Agr.  Ext.  Dpt., 
Chicago,  111. 


113 


ip.  Growing  a  Field  of  Timothy  and  Clover  for  Profit  and  Soil  Improvement. 

Project  Work  Plan 

Study  Involved 

Select  ground 

Soils  for  timothy  and  clover,  texture,  drainage,  acidity.     Rotations. 

Test  seed 

for  project,  ingredients  and  proportions. 

Rate  of  application.     Fall  vs.  spring  plowing.    Mechanics  of  the  plow. 

Fit  the  ground 

Lime.  Effect  of  Ume  on  grasses  and  clovers.  Kinds  of  lime,  rate, 
method  and  time  of  application.  Relation  of  fertilizer  and  lime 
to  the  nurse  crop. 

The  fitting  program      Tilth  and  tUlage 

Plant 

Methods,   time  and  rate  of  sowing      Kinds  and   management  of 

Harvest  

nurse   crop.      Fall   and  spring  grains  as   nurse  crops.      Care  of 
new  seeding. 
Time  of  cutting.     Methods  of  curing  and  handling,     ^lanagement 

Weigh  up  yields. 

in  the  mow. 

Pressing  hay. 

Summarize  project. 

Note. — This  project  may  well  continue  two  or  three  years.  At  the  conclusion  this  field  may  be 
capable  of  more  cuttings.  This  equity  and  the  increased  fertiUty  of  the  field  should  be  ^credited  to 
the  project. 

Demonstrations  with  Projects  in  the  Growing  of  Timothy  and  Clover 

20.  Grow  them  with  different  nurse  crops,  as  barley,  oats,  wheat  and  rye — compare 
the  results. 

21.  On  the  second  year's  growth  of  timothy  apply  fertilizer  on  part  of  the  field  and 
compare  the  5deld  with  that  not  fertilized. 

22.  Make  a  comparison  of  the  results  on  limed  and  unlimed  portions  of  the  clover 
and  timothy. 

23.  Demonstrate  the  increase  in  yield  by  adding  seed  of  redtop,  alsike  clover  and 
other  hay  plants. 

References  on  the  Growing  of  Timothy  and  Clover 

Montgomery,  Productive  Farm  Crops  (Lippincott). 

Wilson  and  Warburton,  Field  Crops  (Webb). 

Piper,  Forage  Crops  (Macmillan). 

Spillman,  Farm  Grasses  of  U.  S.  (Orange  Judd). 

Wing,  Meadows  and  Pastures  (Sanders  Pub.  Co.). 

Hitchcock,  Textbook  of  Grasses  (Macmillan). 

U.  S.  Farmers'  Bulletins,  990,  Timothy;  455,  Red  Clover;  260,  The  Seeds  of  Red  Clover  and  Its 
Impurities;  508,  Market  Hay;  943,  Haymaking;  936,  Curing  Hay  on  Trucks;  977,  Hay  Caps;  987,  Labor 
Saving  Practice  in  Haymaking. 


114 


24.  Growing  a  Field  of  Cotton  for  Profit.  * 


Project  Work  Plan 


Select  a  variety. 


Select    seed    bolls    at    first    picking 
in  field 

Gin  field-selected  seed  separately .  .  .  . 

Dry  and  store  seed 

Select  field 

Manure,    double   disk,    harrow,    and 

sow  to  cover  crop 

Test  sample  of  seeds 

Choose  suitable  fertilizers  for  home 

mixing 

Plow  and  fit  the  soil  for  planting.  .  .  . 


Plant  the  crop 

Fertilize 

Cultivate 

Thin  the  chop 

Subsequent  cultivation 

Inter-plant  with  corn 

Select  next  year's  seed 

Pick  the  main  crop 

Gin  and  bale 

Sell  or  store  cotton 

Make  second  picking;  gin  and  store. . 
Sell,  store,  or  have  seed  crop  pressed 
Pasture  the  stalk  field , 


Turn  under  and  sow  to  rye  or  other 

cover  crop 
Compute  costs  and  profits 


Summarize  project  in  narrative  style 


Study  Involved 


Species  and  types  of  cotton.  Varieties  for  various  soils  and  cli- 
matic conditions. 

Improvement  by  selection.  Indications  of  best  qualities  in  plants. 
Storm  resistance.  Length  and  weight  of  lint.  Crossing  to 
improve.     The  seed  patch.     Prices  of  seed  for  planting. 

Visit  gin  and  study  methods. 

Prevention  of  mold  and  injury  from  enemies. 

Soil  requirements.  Needs  of  fertility.  What  crop  should  precede 
cotton.     Rotations  with  legumes. 

Suitable  amounts  of  manure.  Ways  of  spreading.  Value  of  cover 
crop;  kinds  of  cover  crop  for  this  purpose. 

Methods  of  testing  compared.     Reasons  for  testing. 

Best  ingredients  for  cotton.  Probable  needs  of  your  field. 
Make  formulas  for  home  mixing  and  compute  costs.  Rates 
of  application. 

Best  time  to  turn  under  cover  crop.  Values  of  a  bare  fallow  period 
before  planting.  Steps  in  fitting  soil.  Implements  and  their 
effects.     Best  methods. 

Methods  of  planting.  Time  to  plant.  Distances.  Depths  for 
different  methods.     Amount  of  seed. 

Applying  fertilizer  when  planting  and  later.  Differences  in  avail- 
ability. Effects  of  time  of  applying.  Reasons  for  rapid  forcing 
of  crop. 

Purpose  of  intertillage.  How  best  to  maintain  a  dust  mulch  with- 
out injuring  crop.  Kinds  of  weeds.  Their  control.  Need  of 
early  rapid  growth  under  weevil  conditions. 

Need  for  thick  planting  and  subsequent  thinning.  Other  special 
reasons  for  chopping  out  rows.     How  to  avoid  it. 

Kinds  of  cultivation  tools.  Their  special  effects  and  uses.  Fight- 
ing weevils  by  tillage.  How  to  "lay-by"  cotton,  for  sowing  cover 
crop  and  without. 

Control  of  boll-worm  (corn  ear  worm)  with  use  of  corn  a  strap  crop. 
Times  to  plant  the  corn.  Uses  of  the  corn.  Other  means  of  con- 
trol of  worms. 

Review  seed  selection  and  score  card  for  bolls  and  plants. 

Methods  of  picking;  cost;  new  machines. 

Calculate  yields  of  seed  and  lint.  Determine  percentage  of  seed  to 
lint;  compare  with  others  and  with  other  years.  Study  mechan- 
ism of  gins,  balers,  compressers.  Get  samples  of  cotton  of  all 
types  at  the  gin  or  warehouse. 

Price  fluctuations  and  charts.  Profits  from  storing.  Cotton  grades 
and  grading.  Practice  scoring  and  grading.  Types  of  ware- 
houses; damage  during  storage.    Need  of  compressing.    Insurance. 

Nature  of  blossoming  and  fruiting  of  cotton  plant.  Need  of  second 
picking.     Character  of  yield.     Effect  of  boll  weevil  on  late  crop. 

Composition,  value,  products  of  seeds  and  their  uses.  Feeding 
cottonseed  hulls  and  meal. 

Value  and  uses  of  cotton  stalks.  Danger  from  weevils  where  not 
pastured  nor  turned  under. 

Effects  of  all  plowing  on  weevils  and  boll-worms.  Review  values  of 
cover  crops. 

Cost  accounting;  record  forms;  farm  accounts.  Compare  with 
other  crops. 


♦Outlined  by  K.  C.  Davis,  George  Peabody  College  for  Teachers,  Nashville,  Tenn. 


115 


Demonstrations  with  Projects  in  Cotton  Growing 

25.  Partial  trials  with  different  forms  and  amounts  of  fertilizer. 

26.  With  and  without  green  manure  or  barnyard  manure. 

27.  Compare  commercial  fertihzers  with  barnyard  manure  and  with  green  manure. 

28.  Compare  ridge  planting  and  culture  with  level  methods. 

29.  Compare  late  and  early  varieties  or  any  two  promising  varieties. 

References  on  Cotton  Growing 

Montgomery,  Productive  Farm  Crops  (Lippincott)  . 
Duggar,  Southern  Field  Crops  (Macmillan). 
Bailey's  Cyc.  of  Agr.  Vol.  II. 
Brooks,  Cotton,  New  York. 
Burkett  and  Poe,  Cotton,  New  York. 
Robinson,  Classing  Cotton,  Stillwater,  Okla. 

U.  S.  D.  A.  Yearbook,  1902.     Farmers'  Bulletins  286,  501,  591,  601.    U.  S.  Office  Exp.  Sta.  Bull.  33, 
Bur.  Plant,  Ind.  Bull.  163. 

Write  the  stations  of  each  of  the  Cotton  states  for  all  available  bulletins  on  cotton. 


116 


30.  Growing  a  Field  of  Tobacco  for  Profit.* 


Project  Work  Plan 

Select  the  type  and  variety  you  want 
and  secure  seed 

Select  field 

Manure,  disk,  and  sow  cover  crop.  .  . 
Build  curing  house 

Plan  bed  and  select  site 

Make  bed  and  plant  seeds 

Plow   and    prepare   field    for   setting 

plants 
Set  plants  in  field 

Fertilize 

Cultivate,  weed,  and  sucker 

Destroy  worms  and  other  enemies.  .  . 

Topping  and  selection  of  seed  plants . 

Priming 

Harvest  crop  and  hang  in  curing  house 

Cure  crop 

Sell  or  store  crop 

Compute  Profits 

Write  account  of  project. 


Study  Involved 


Types  suited  to  the  region.     Yields,  values  and  purposes  of  various 

types.    How  seed  is  selected  and  improved.    Amount  seed  needed. 
Soils  for  tobacco.      Rotations  with  tobacco. 
Effects  of  manure  and  green  manure.     Benefits  of  cover  crops. 
Types  of  houses.     Methods  of  curing.     Probable  capacity  required. 

Cost  of  buildings. 
Size   of  bed   needed  for  field   chosen.      Methods   of   making  bed. 

Materials  needed.     Suitable  sites. 
Sterilizing  soils.     Best  time  to  start  beds.     Care  and  management 

of  beds  when  started. 
Best  time  and  depth  for  plowing.     Steps  in  preparation  of  soil  for 

setting.     Level  vs.  ridge  setting. 
Methods  of  setting.     Modern  machines.     Carrying  plants  to  place. 

Methods  of  watering.     Distances  for  setting.     Number  of  plants 

per  acre.      Suitable  weather  conditions. 
Best  time  to  fertiUze;  amounts;  kinds;  methods  of  applying;  special 

effects;  weather  conditions. 
Importance    of    thrifty   growth.      Thorough    cultivation.      Mulch. 

Freedom  from  weeds.  Need  of  suckering.  Tillage  implements. 
Methods  of  control  of  tobacco  worms  and  other  enemies.     Picking 

compared  with  spraying.      Poisons  compared. 
Choice  of  good  seed  plants.     Disease  resistance.     Signs  of  health 

and  disease.  Need  of  topping.  Number  of  seed  plants  to  save. 
Economy  and  saving  due  to  priming.  Control  of  disease  by  priming. 
Different   methods   of   harvesting  for   different   types   of  tobacco. 

Tools,   wagons,   other  equipment.      Cost  of  harvesting.     Space 

required  in  shed  per  acre  of  crop.     Weather  conditions. 
Care  in  curing  to  produce  best  results.     Steps  in  curing.     Judging 

conditions  of  leaf  and  weather. 
Methods    of    marketing,    grading,    storing,    handling,    warehouses. 

Insurance.     Price  variations.     Profits  and  losses. 
Farm  accounts. 


Demonstrations  with  Projects  in  Tobacco  Growing 

31.  Make  a  comparison  by  growing  part  of  the  crop  with,  and  part  without 
green  manure. 

32.  In  like  manner  demonstrate  the  effects  of  barnyard  manure. 

33.  Compare  different  formulas  of  commercial  fertilizers. 

34.  Compare  two  very  promising  types  or  varieties,  both  probably  suited  to  the  soil 
and  region.    Both  should  be  suited  to  your  type  of  house  and  methods  of  curing. 

35.  Compare  two  methods  of  curing  if  your  facilities  will  permit,  and  if  the  type  of 
tobacco  is  suited  to  both,  as  curing  with  open  fires  and  air  curing.  If  there  are  three  types 
of  houses  in  the  region  compare  all  the  different  methods  of  curing. 

36.  Methods  of  harvesting  may  be  compared  if  both  will  suit  the  type  of  tobacco — 
priming  all  the  leaves  and  cutting  the  stalks. 

*  Outlined  by  K.  C.  Davis,  George  Peabody  College  for  Teachers,  Nashville.  Tenn. 


117 


References  on  Tobacco  Growing 

Montgomery,  Productive  Field  Crops  (Lippincott). 

Duggar,  Southern  Field  Crops  (Macmillan). 

Killebrew  and  Myrick,  The  Tobacco  Leaf  (Orange  Judd  Co.). 

Bailey's  Cyc.  Agr.  Vol.  II.  Tobacco  Soils,  etc.,  U.  S.  Bur.  Soil,  Bulletins  11,  27,  37.  U.  S.  D.  A. 
Reports,  59,  62,  63.  Farmers'  Bulletins,  60,  120,  343,  416,  523,  511.  Bur.  Plant  Ind.  Bulletins  91,  96. 
U.  S.  Farmers'  Institute  Illustrated  Lecture  No.  9. 

Write  to  the  Stations  of  the  leading  tobacco  growing  states  for  their  available  bulletins  on 
the  subject. 


37.  Growing  a  Field  of  Peanuts  for  Profit.* 

Project  Work  Plan 

Study  Involved 

Select  variety 

Select  seed 

ties  according  to  season.     Varieties  grown  in  community. 
Value  of  selected  seed.    Characteristics  of  good  seed:    (a)  brightness, 

{h)  effect  of  storage,  (c)  maturity. 
Peanut  soils:    (o)  effect  of  habit  of  growth,  {b)  acidity.     Rotations- 
Plant  food  elements  needed.     Manure:    (a)  effect  on  peanut  crop, 

(6)  rate  and  method  of  application.     Commercial  fertilizers:    (a) 

kind  needed,  {h)  local  markets,  (c)  method  and  rate  of  application. 

Lime:    (a)  effect  on  peanut  crop,  (fe)  kind;  method  and  rate  of 

application. 
Tilth  and  tillage.     Fall  or  spring  plowing.     Mechanics  of  the  plow. 

Fitting  program. 
Preparation  of  seed.      Method  of  planting.     Variety  and  rate  of 

planting.     Time  of  planting.     Effect  of  (a)   variety,   (6)  season, 

(c)  soil  condition,  {d)  use. 
Cultivation :     (o)   time  to  start,    (6)   frequency,    (c)    implements. 

Insects  and  diseases.     Peging. 
Seed  selection.     Time  of  harvesting.     Methods.     Handling  in  field. 

Amount  of  J.  oles  needed.     Method  of  stacking.    Curing. 
Hand  or  machine  picking.      Kinds  of  pickers. 
Methods.     Advantages  of  storing. 
Market  from  pickej  to  car.     Improving  the  grade. 
Farm  accounts 

Select  fertilizer                            .      .  . 

Plant 

Care  for  crop 

Harvest 

Market  the  crop 

Compute  costs  and  profit 

Summarize  projects. 

*  Adapted  from  Georgia  Vocational  Bulletin  5. 

Demonstrations  with  Projects  in  the  Growing  of  Peanuts 

38.  Grow  and  compare  several  important  varieties  of  peanuts. 

39.  Try  different  amounts  and  kinds  of  fertilizers. 

40.  Compare  results  with  selected  and  unselected  seed. 

References  on  Peanut  Growing 

Montgomery,  E.  G.,  Productive  Farm  Crops  (Lippincott). 

Dugan,  J.  F.,  Southern  Field  Crops  (Macmillan). 

Morgan,  Field  Crops  for  the  Cotton  Belt  (Macmillan). 

U.  S.  Farmers'  Bulletins  431,  The  Peanut;  509,  Forage  Crops  in  the  Cotton  Region;  751,  Peanut 
Oil;  Bureau  of  Plant  Industry  Cir.  88,  Picking  and  Handling  Peanuts;  Bureau  of  Plant  Industry,  Cir. 
98,  Peanut  Butter;  U.  S.  D.  A.  Yearbook  (1917),  Peanut  Industry;  U.  S.  D.  A.  Yearbook  (1917),  Pea- 
nut as  Food. 


118 


M 


/t^ 


465339 


S  i^3 
J~3 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


i 


